As a North Carolina estate planning and elder law attorney, I've seen how stressful it can be for families when important documents aren't readily available. Often, the family isn't dealing with a lack of planning. The parents actually did the responsible thing and had documents prepared. The problem is that nobody knows where to find them.

And when a medical emergency, cognitive decline, or death occurs, that missing information can create delays, confusion, unnecessary expenses, and additional stress during an already difficult time. The good news? This is one of the easiest estate planning problems to prevent.