Over the past several years we have witnessed a series of significant and in some cases unprecedented events that dramatically have reshaped the world in which we live. Corporate scandals, repeated stock market declines, a prolonged economic downturn, 9/11 and the ongoing battle against terrorism, ever changing and unpredictable tax laws, corporate bankruptcies, lost life savings and now the war in Iraq all have taken their toll and made their mark. If nothing else, these events have taught us the importance of careful planning for all contingencies, whether personal, financial or otherwise. In few areas is the need for thoughtful preparation for uncertainty more compelling than in estate planning.
