Dear Friend,

I want to tell you a story.

It’s a story I’ve seen in different versions, again and again—heartbreaking, frustrating, and avoidable. And if it stops even one family from going through the same thing, it’s worth sharing.

It started with a phone call no one ever wants to get.

“Your dad’s gone.”

Maggie froze. Just yesterday, they’d exchanged texts about her son’s baseball game. He sounded tired, but fine. Now, without warning, she was the one calling family, making arrangements, handling everything. Or so she thought. She arrived at the house the next morning—key in hand, heart in her throat. That’s when the questions started.

Where’s the life insurance? Did he ever finish the Will? What bank did he use? Who’s the executor? What were his final wishes?

No one knew.

Not his sister. Not his neighbor. Not even his best friend, who’d talked to him every Sunday for thirty years.

What followed was a week of grief… and chaos. The safe had no key. The password list on the fridge was years out of date. The bills kept coming. The funeral home needed a signature. The bank wouldn’t speak to her without paperwork. His truck was still in his deceased brother’s name from 2003. And the Will? If it ever existed, they never found it.

When You Don’t Know What to Do—And Can’t Ask the Person Who Did

It’s hard to explain the helplessness of those moments until you’ve lived them. You’re grieving, heartbroken, disoriented—and instead of space to mourn, you’re shoved into logistics. And every answer you don’t have becomes another fire to put out. Another hour on the phone. Another piece of mail you can’t forward. Another signature you can’t legally provide. Another moment that makes you wonder: Why didn’t we talk about this?

This Isn’t Rare. It’s Reality.

Maggie’s story isn’t unique. Every single week, families walk into law offices with the same overwhelmed look in their eyes. They were told everything was taken care of—but now, no one can find the documents. Or the documents are there—but no one was told what they say. Or everything was clear—but never updated. And they’re left with decisions to make and no idea what their loved one would’ve wanted. That’s when planning becomes less about law… and more about loss.

Peace of Mind Doesn’t Come from Paperwork

People think estate planning is about documents. Wills. Trusts. Powers of Attorney. And yes, those are important—but they’re not what actually brings peace of mind. Clarity does. Conversation does. A plan that is expertly crafted, legally binding, updated, and shared. Known. Ready. Because the truth is this: a perfect plan that no one understands is just as dangerous as having no plan at all.

“It Didn’t Have to Be This Way.”

That’s what Maggie said at the end of it all. Weeks later, after the court hearings and the bank delays and the uncomfortable family arguments… she sat across the table and whispered, “It didn’t have to be this way.” And she was right. Because a well-crafted Estate Plan and a conversation could’ve changed it. A list of passwords could’ve changed it. A folder with instructions. A trusted advisor. A little time, taken when life felt calm, could’ve spared her from so much heartache in the storm.

The Good News?

It’s not too late. If you’ve ever worried your family might be left scrambling like Maggie’s was… if you want your spouse, your children, your loved ones to have the comfort of knowing exactly what to do when the time comes… now is the time to plan.

Not for the paperwork. But for the people.

Call Bascom Law today and let’s make sure your plan brings peace—not panic.

Sincerely and Thanks,

Mike

Mike Bascom
Bascom Law, PC
770-285-5493