﻿{"id":3172,"date":"2026-03-12T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/?p=3172"},"modified":"2026-06-09T13:44:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T17:44:44","slug":"estate-planning-in-troubled-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/estate-planning-in-troubled-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Estate Planning in troubled times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Originally published: April 3, 2020 | Last updated: March 12, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group tldr-box has-background\" style=\"border-left-color:#0077b6;border-left-width:4px;background-color:#e8f4f8;padding-top:20px;padding-right:20px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:20px\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>TL;DR:<\/strong> During the COVID-19 crisis, USLegalWills.com offered free Wills and Power of Attorney documents to frontline healthcare workers who were risking their lives to keep communities safe. The pandemic emergency demonstrated every person needs to establish a Will and Power of Attorney and Living Will because home document preparation has become essential for survival.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Does Estate Planning Matter During Uncertain Times?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our team presents this post as a different approach than our standard content delivery system. People need to establish human connections because these relationships become vital during emergency situations. The situation appeared to operate at a normal business pace yet it created an unusual atmosphere which affected all involved parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People show normal reactions which include feeling uncertain and scared and anxious about what lies ahead during an ongoing crisis without any established resolution. Healthcare workers who faced their own fears needed to perform outstanding duties as frontline medical staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Are the Heroes of a Health Crisis?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Medical personnel including doctors and nurses and caregivers and hospital staff worked non-stop while they sacrificed their own health and feelings to provide care for others. The staff members faced dangerous PPE shortages together with medical resource restrictions but they maintained their daily attendance at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our CTO, Henry Raud, has a daughter who is a Registered Nurse who worked on the front lines diagnosing and caring for patients. His words capture the experience of countless families:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Every day, I am concerned about my daughter contracting this virus, especially given that thousands of healthcare workers around the world have already been infected, and far too many of whom have died. As a father, I can&#8217;t help but feel concerned for my daughter&#8217;s safety. But more than anything, I am extremely proud of her for what she is doing to help people to get through this crisis. She absolutely loves what she is doing, despite all the risks. I can&#8217;t imagine any father being more proud than I am right now.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Did USLegalWills.com Help Healthcare Workers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Healthcare workers needed to finish their personal affairs while they fought to control the disease. USLegalWills.com joined peers in the online estate planning community in offering free Wills and Power of Attorney documents to frontline healthcare heroes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.legalwills.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/campaign.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2700\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">USLegalWills.com offered free estate planning documents to healthcare workers during the crisis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The healthcare workers protected people who belonged to all of us. Our team needed to help people protect their closest family members and friends and their valuable possessions because it was the minimum requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Is Home-Based Estate Planning So Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The crisis showed people how essential it is to create their estate planning documents from their own residence. Our mandate has always been to make estate planning affordable and convenient, and our core belief remains that every adult should have three documents in place:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\">Last Will and Testament<\/a><\/strong>  &#8211;  distributes your assets and names guardians for your children<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/power-of-attorney-its-written-but-is-that-enough\/\">Power of Attorney<\/a><\/strong>  &#8211;  designates someone to make financial decisions if you become incapacitated<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/living-will-definitions-of-service\/\">Living Will<\/a><\/strong>  &#8211;  expresses your wishes for medical treatment if you cannot communicate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>USLegalWills.com has worked for over 20 years to remove the barriers to estate planning. Online services allow you to skip lawyer office visits while you avoid the need to set up appointments and find someone to watch your children. You can prepare all three documents from your sofa in under an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Should You Do Now?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your estate planning documents will give you and your family members peace of mind regardless of your current work situation. The process is simpler and more affordable than most people expect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A complete Will takes about 20 minutes and costs $49.95 at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\">USLegalWills.com<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can add a Power of Attorney and Living Will as part of a complete estate plan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>All documents can be prepared, updated, and maintained entirely from home<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you to all healthcare workers and frontline responders. We truly appreciate everything you do to keep communities safe and well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> &#8211;  Tim Hewson, CEO, LegalWills<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/updating-your-will\/\">Updating Your Will: When, How, and How Much?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/why-you-need-a-will-and-why-your-excuses-make-no-sense\/\">Why You Need a Will \u2013 And Why Your Excuses Make No Sense<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/making-a-will-5-reasons-to-not-procrastinate\/\">Making a Will: 5 Reasons to Not Procrastinate<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/estate-planning-best-advice-new-parents\/\">Estate Planning: Best Advice for New Parents<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"Estate Planning in Troubled Times\",\"description\":\"USLegalWills.com offered free Wills and Power of Attorney documents to frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 crisis, recognizing the importance of estate planning during uncertain times.\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Tim Hewson\",\"jobTitle\":\"President and CEO\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"USLegalWills.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-03\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-12\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/estate-planning-in-troubled-times\/\",\"speakable\":{\"@type\":\"SpeakableSpecification\",\"cssSelector\":[\".tldr-box\",\".entry-content h2\"]}}<\/script>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why is estate planning important during a crisis?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Uncertain times highlight the need for estate planning. 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The pandemic emergency demonstrated every person needs to establish a Will and Power of Attorney and Living 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Hewson","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5f633a1cec1e653ab6f74034d00e5c0dfeda4bbbbf1e2e735c707bc2c5298316?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5f633a1cec1e653ab6f74034d00e5c0dfeda4bbbbf1e2e735c707bc2c5298316?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5f633a1cec1e653ab6f74034d00e5c0dfeda4bbbbf1e2e735c707bc2c5298316?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Tim Hewson"},"description":"Tim Hewson is one of the founders of USLegalWills.com. He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets, and has contributed to articles in The New York Times, NY Metro Parents, U.S. News &amp; World Report, and other leading publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books. 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And why?","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"February 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally published: April 2, 2019 | Last updated: February 12, 2026 TL;DR: The total price of a Will varies from free to more than two thousand dollars but the cost does not guarantee superior document quality. Free blank-form kits do not fulfill legal requirements which makes them insufficient. 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They either produce low-quality documents using blank templates, secretly charge recurring monthly fees after a \"free trial,\" or make money by naming themselves as your Executor (earning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Free Last Will and Testament","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/FreeItems.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/FreeItems.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/FreeItems.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/FreeItems.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/FreeItems.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1713,"url":"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wills-blended-families\/","url_meta":{"origin":3172,"position":3},"title":"Considerations in writing a Will for Blended Families","author":"Tim Hewson","date":"October 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Originally published: August 10, 2016 | Last updated: September 29, 2025 TL;DR: In blended families (where one or both partners have children from a previous relationship), a standard Will that leaves everything to your spouse can result in your children inheriting nothing. 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