Wills & Trust – Estate Planning

Wills and Trusts

You don't need to have a large family or extensive assets to benefit from the security that an estate plan can provide. A last will and testament is the most basic estate planning tool. Within certain legal limits, it directs the transfer of your assets according to your intentions, and it can also express your wishes about burial, memorial services or other arrangements after you're gone. The certainty of having a will in place can go far to avoid confusion and disputes over who gets what within a family. If you have a will but you haven't reviewed it in several years, it's probably a good idea to go over it with an estate planning lawyer to make sure that it meets current personal and family needs.

Not all of your assets will transfer by will upon death. Joint bank accounts, certain retirement benefits, insurance policies and certain forms of real estate ownership will create survivorship rights for a co- owner or beneficiary, most frequently your spouse. There might be some question as well about the proper title to business assets. We can review your situation and give you dependable advice about what property will be included in your estate and what won't be.

Powers of Attorney

For some families, the most important part of the estate plan won't involve the eventual transfer of assets through wills or trusts. Instead, the focus will fall on powers of attorney, living wills and health care proxies. Careful planning for periods of disability, legal incapacity or extreme end-of-life medical conditions can spare your family hard and painful decisions.

Estate Administration

The death of a loved one often brings emotional distress to a family. In addition to dealing with the loss, disagreements over the estate can strain even the most loving of family relationships. We have helped numerous individuals and families navigate through the difficulties of probate and estate administration.

When a person dies, his or her estate must be gathered and distributed. Often, the deceased names a person in his or her will as the administrator, executor or personal representative. This person becomes responsible for making sure the estate is administered properly, including:

Preparing all required documents for filing with the probate office, Paying outstanding debts and taxes, distributing the remaining assets, Filing tax reports and legal documents.

As attorney's experienced in mediation and negotiation, we have helped grieving families work through the estates of their deceased loved ones. We are skilled at working through the probate process, settling any disputes and transferring remaining assets to the beneficiaries. If a loved one has passed, contact us by calling 302-234-6855.