BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Planning for life after death is a conversation many people avoid, but local attorneys say putting it off can leave families facing unnecessary stress and uncertainty.
To help residents prepare, Build East Baton Rouge, in partnership with Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, will host a free estate planning legal clinic on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Helix Aviation Academy, 4400 Airpark Blvd.
The clinic will give participants an opportunity to draft a will and learn how to protect their assets and ensure their wishes are carried out after they die.
Attorney Alexis Grant, one of several attorneys volunteering for the clinic, said having a will allows people, not the courts, to decide what happens to their property.
“You don’t want somebody else planning your life for you,” Grant said.
She said a will can help ensure hard-earned assets are distributed according to a person’s wishes.
“Let’s say you work really hard for something, and you want it distributed a particular way. Making sure you have a will will allow for that to happen,” Grant said.
Build East Baton Rouge’s Dexter Alexander said many families wait until after a loved one dies before thinking about estate planning, making the process more difficult.
“Once it happens, it’s almost too late,” Alexander said.
Alexander said one of the clinic’s biggest benefits is that it removes the financial barrier that often prevents people from creating an estate plan. Hiring an estate planning attorney can cost thousands of dollars, but the clinic will provide those services at no cost.
“You protect your generational wealth there. So, that will let you keep it within the family, and that allows those communities to thrive,” Alexander said.
Organizers hope making estate planning services free and accessible will encourage more families to protect what they’ve worked for and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
“It allows people to secure their legacy,” Alexander said.
Registration is required, and space is limited. Click here for more information to register, or visit Build EBR’s website.
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