August 4, 2020 / Press
Jonathan Forster Quoted in Forbes Article about Estate Planning During COVID-19
Jonathan Forster was recently quoted in Cheryl Winokur Munk’s Forbes article “Estate Planning Tips Amid The Pandemic.” The piece outlines tips to consider when creating or updating an estate plan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Munk also discusses the differences between estate planning before and during the pandemic.
Jonathan offered his input on people approaching estate planning with the wrong mindset during this time. People are sitting at home and concerned about their mortality, says Jonathan Forster, partner at Los Angeles law firm Weinstock Manion. They want to rush out and do estate planning because they don’t know what’s coming next, he says. Many “aren’t seeking out guidance—they are doing things in a fast and haphazard way and they aren’t being done correctly.”
Jonathan also commented on the laws and difficulties of remote notarization with regards to estate planning. “In California, which does not allow remote notarization, mobile notaries are being used. They come to a person’s home wearing gloves and masks and signings can take place outside. There’s still a need for an additional witness who isn’t a beneficiary, however, which can also be challenging these days, says Forster, the attorney.”