Your Estate Law Attorney

Death is the only thing that is certain in life. While you can’t always control the when and how, you can control what happens to you in your final days and how your estate provides for your loved ones after you die.

I can help you set your estate plan into motion. As your life situation changes — marriage, divorce, family births and deaths, asset accumulation and losses — I can ensure your estate plan changes to always reflect your intentions.

Wills

A will is a written declaration about how your assets will be divided after you die. If you die without having a will in place, all of your assets will be divided in a court of law:

• Bank accounts
• Investments
• Property (houses, cars, personal effects, collectibles, etc.)
• Businesses ownership
• Debts

If you have a spouse or children who are dependent on your assets, you must have a will in place. Otherwise, your intended heirs may be forced into court for several months and be required to pay thousands of dollars in legal fees.

Trusts

A Trust places all of your assets into an account where a person you appoint (the trustee) manages the distribution of your assets to your intended beneficiaries. Revocable trusts are intended to help heirs avoid probate (see below) where unnecessary family fighting and litigation costs can be incurred. Trusts are especially valuable when children are beneficiaries — you can control when and how they will inherit money or property. You can also set other assets aside to care for them until they are adults. Trusts are also recommended to dictate care for beloved pets.

As your attorney, I can set up your trust to have solid legal standing. Once the trust is set into motion, I can act in the legal role of “protector” to ensure the trustee fulfills your wishes.

Living Will

Also known as an Advanced Health Care Directives, the living will enables you to live and die on your own terms after you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself. Living wills are created while you are of sound mind — before the onset of diseases like Alzheimer’s — or before a debilitating accident.

Probates

When you die, your estate goes through a legal process called probate. If you have a will in place, the court will determine if it is valid before your selected Personal Representative can execute it. Documents that are in order will provide the Court with the ability to immediately appoint your named Personal Representative to access your financial accounts and manage your affairs without any further Court intervention.

Which Estate Plan is right for you?

Call today to arrange your Estate Plan Consultation. We can discuss your specific needs and come up with a plan that is in your best interest.

As your situation changes, we can revise your plan so that it is always up to date.