By: Darlynn Morgan, Orange County Estate Planning Attorney

In my travels last week, I noticed the stores were littered with backpacks, school supplies and adorable new outfits….which only means that back-to-school season is right around the corner again!

Fortunately, my little one is just learning to crawl so I won’t have to deal with the anguish of sending him to school for quite some time.   But, if you do have little ones going back to school this year (or even just to day-care!), take some time this week and think about your family’s emergency preparedness plan.

Here’s a brief checklist of critical things to consider:

* Have I legally documented short and long-term guardians to care for my kids if something happens to me and/or my spouse during school hours?

* Do the people I listed on my child’s school emergency card match those I’ve legally named as guardians? (If not, your emergency contacts will only have permission to pick your kids up if they are sick– not care for them if something happens to you).

* Have I provided my chosen guardians with the documentation they need and instructions on what to do if called upon in an emergency situation?

* Have I prepped the babysitter who watches my child either before school or after school on what to do if something happens to me so child services are not called in?

If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, now is the perfect time to get a plan in place before the hustle and bustle of school season starts.

To make things easy for you, I’m waiving my 10-per-month limit on no-charge Family Wealth Planning Sessions (normally $750) so anyone who wants to take me up on this offer can get in before school begins. However, this offer will expire on Monday, August 9th, so call me, your neighborhood Orange County Estate Planning Attorney at (949) 260-1400 to book your appointment today.