Estate Planning

Practice Areas

We understand that each and every client will have different needs and goals. Our goal is to get to know you, your goals for yourself and your family, and your circumstances so that we can collaborate to ensure that your interests are protected. We regularly assist clients in planning for the future transfer of their assets through their written estate plans, including wills, trusts, and estate planning tools, and for their future care through powers of attorney and advance directives.

Wills
Every will should accomplish three tasks:

Distribute your property;
Appoint an executor; and,
If necessary, provide for the care and well-being of any minor children by appointing a guardian and/or trustee.

Determining the best approach for these three crucial tasks
will depend on your unique goals and values. Our aim is to assist you in
evaluating these goals and then develop a personalized plan that aligns with your unique needs.

Trusts
Trusts are not only for the extremely wealthy. They can be very useful for many people and accomplish the same critical tasks as a will. Trusts offer advantages over a will including:

Avoiding Probate: Assets held in a trust typically bypass
the probate process, which can save time and money and provide privacy for the family.
Privacy: Unlike wills, which become public record during
probate, trusts offer privacy because they are not subject to probate court
proceedings.
Control and Flexibility: Trusts allow you to specify how and
when your assets will be distributed to beneficiaries. You can also include
conditions and restrictions on distributions, providing more control over your
assets even after your passing.
Planning for Incapacity: A trust can provide for the management of your assets in the event of your incapacity, ensuring that your financial affairs are handled according to your wishes without the need for court intervention.

As with wills, the details of any trust will vary according to unique goals and values. Our aim is to assist you in evaluating those goals and then develop a personalized plan that aligns with your unique needs.

Power of Attorney

A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that grants someone else the authority to act on your behalf in legal, financial, or medical matters. The person granting the authority is known as the “principal,” and the person receiving the authority is called the “agent” or “attorney-in-fact.”

Powers of attorney are an important part of estate planning, allowing individuals to designate someone they trust to make decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so themselves due to incapacity or other reasons.