[Julie Jordan]

The risk of towing to the race track far exceeds the risk on the track.

EVERYONE should have some sort of estate and healthcare plan in place. Even those without substantial assets still have things to deal with such as guardianship for minor children and naming someone to assist with healthcare decisions if you are unable to do so.

I know of many racers with garages full of car parts. Most of their family members think it's all junk and would probably call a junk yard to pick things up. It would be wise to name a trusted racing/car friend to assist the family with sorting through these items and making sure it's not all just "junk".

Don't leave your family in the dark. In addition to having a trust/will and Durable Health Care I recommend keeping a binder to be used "in case of emergency". This binder should have a copy of your legal docs, as well as contact information for your attorney, accountant, insurance agent, etc. List your assets, along with applicable account numbers, so that your family doesn't have to search through every drawer in your desk. If you have a safe deposit box, list the bank information. If you have life insurance, include that information. Having all this in one place will assist your family immensely as they begin the arduous task of taking care of your financial affairs.

I've dealt with a lot of horrid estate issues because the decedent didn't take the time to plan. It's awful on families. Don't put your family through that, plan it all out and take the time to make things as easy as possible. The only thing we know for sure in life is that we will one day die.