WILLS & ESTATES PLANNING

Protecting your assets and your rights during and after your life is an important step to take. 

Making your wishes known and executed is simple once you know which legal tools to use.  

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Living Trust

 

A living trust is a legal tool used to protect assets for the benefit of heirs and to delay certain taxation of real estate and other assets. A Living Trust provides both lifetime and after-death property management. Upon death or incapacity, the successor trustee and/or co-trustee can manage the trust property. Court intervention is not required, which can save you and your heirs the expense and inconvenience of probate. The Trust must be properly drafted and funded to be effective. We draft all kinds of trusts and can advise you how to fund, operate, and maintain your trust.

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Last Will & Testament

 

This legal document allows for the appointment of a guardian for minors. Trusts can be set up in your will which only become effective after your death. Maintaining control over who will be in charge of your minor children in the event of the sudden death of their parents, is part of the will. The will also controls how and when your assets will transfer to your adult children. And of course, the Will lets you dispose of specific assets to particular individuals, charities or organizations. This document can be changed throughout your lifetime.

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Advance Directive, Healthcare Proxy & Living Will

 

An Advance Directive is a written statement of your wishes regarding medical care and end of life treatment should you be unable physically or mentally to communicate them to your healthcare team. 

  

Health care proxies, on the other hand, allow you (the "Principal") to designate a  third party (the "Agent") to make those healthcare and end of life decisions on your behalf, in such a situation.  

You can limit the medical choices available to the health care proxy with a Living Will.

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Power of Attorney

 

The Power of Attorney is a document in which you (the "Principal") appoint a third party (the "Agent") to act on your behalf in specified or all legal and financial matters.

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Wills and Estates Planning Packages

 

Should you be in need of drafting several of the documents described above, we offer packages at discounted rates.  Contact us for details.