Estate Planning
If you wish to leave behind a meaningful legacy, either for loved ones or a charitable institution, you need to put a well-thought-out estate plan in place. Without an established plan, the fate of your estate is determined by the government, lawyers, or people that do not have your interests and best wishes in mind.
Having an estate plan is paramount to ensure your estate is handled according to your wishes. Together with your estate planning attorney, we can assist with drafting documents and reviewing your situation, so your estate benefits the people and charities you care about most.
What We Can Do for You
- Will Education: We can help you understand how to structure your will, so your legal team can create a document that reflects how you want your estate managed and distributed. From a simple will to a testamentary will, or joint wills and living wills, our team helps you navigate the complexities of this document, so you do not need to stress over specifics.
- Creating Powers of Attorney (POA): Whether it is managing specific assets, such as investments, accounts, and real estate holdings, or helping others make health care decisions when you are ill or incapacitated, you need a POA in place to ensure your wishes are followed. A well-crafted POA will streamline how decisions about your final arrangements, and those related to your estate, are handled once you pass.
- Choosing Executors: The executors of your estate hold significant responsibility in determining how your estate is handled upon your passing. We help you understand the importance of choosing an executor for your estate, and what criteria you should consider when appointing someone to discharge this all-important role, especially if minor children or guardians are involved.
- Designating Beneficiaries: If you do not choose beneficiaries for your assets carefully, your estate assets might end up in the hands of individuals you never intended to benefit from them. A well-thought-out estate plan ensures that the needs of your dependents are fully addressed.
- Minimizing Estate Taxes and Probate Fees: Taxes, fees, and other levies have the potential to erode a large part of your estate before your beneficiaries see a cent. Careful planning can reduce the impact taxes and fees have.
- Estate Protection: Even after you pass, many of your assets, such as long-term investments and property, will need protection and management until they are settled and their proceeds are distributed to your beneficiaries. In the absence of an estate plan, your assets will not receive the type and level of protection those assets require.
- Distribute Your Legacy: Our professionals can support you while synchronizing your estate plans and your will, so your assets are distributed in line with your final wishes.
Schedule a meeting with us to see what an estate plan can do for you.
Our firm does not provide legal advice or services. Please consult your legal advisor or an estate planning attorney regarding your specific situation.
