Living Forever

6a01b7c934da9b970b01b7c95a043d970b.jpg

Some people think that scientists are not far away from creating the technology that will let human beings live forever. However, do not let that hope delay your estate planning.

Considering how many people delay getting estate plans, it might seem like the consensus is that most of us will live forever. If we never will pass away, then we will not have estates that need to be distributed after we pass away. For now, however, the idea of eternal life remains a matter of science fiction for many.

On the other hand, some people think it might not be fiction for very much longer, though as the Daily Mail reports in "Could you live forever? Humans will achieve IMMORTALITY using AI and genetic engineering by 2050, expert claims."{: target="_blank"}

There are a few different ways this immortality could be achieved in upcoming decades. Genetic engineering might become so good that scientists will be able to do away with the genes that cause us to age. Robotics could become so adept that human minds could be loaded into androids and live forever in mechanical bodies. Finally, it might be possible that human consciousness could be loaded into a virtual reality world and people could live forever there.

While all of those things are possible in the future, they are not possible now.

Even the most optimistic immortality enthusiasts still think it will be decades before any such technology is widely available. That means that for now you should not plan to live forever. You really do need to get an estate plan.

Reference: Daily Mail (Feb. 19, 2018) "Could you live forever? Humans will achieve IMMORTALITY using AI and genetic engineering by 2050, expert claims."{: target="_blank"}