Protecting Your Family's Future
Estate planning is about more than distributing assets after death. It is about ensuring your family is protected, your wishes are honored, and your legacy endures. At 1-800-OUR-LAWYER, our estate planning attorneys work closely with you to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses your unique circumstances, goals, and concerns.
Whether you are a young professional just starting to build wealth, a growing family looking to protect your children, or a retiree seeking to preserve your estate, our team provides personalized guidance to give you peace of mind about the future.
Our Estate Planning Services
Wills
A last will and testament is the foundation of any estate plan. Our attorneys draft clear, legally binding wills that specify how your assets should be distributed, name guardians for minor children, and designate an executor to carry out your wishes. We ensure your will meets all state requirements to prevent challenges or disputes after your passing.
Trusts
Trusts offer powerful tools for asset protection, tax planning, and avoiding probate. We create various types of trusts tailored to your needs, including revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, charitable trusts, and spendthrift trusts. Each trust is carefully structured to achieve your specific estate planning objectives.
Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney allows someone you trust to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. We draft financial powers of attorney that clearly define the scope of authority granted and include appropriate safeguards to prevent misuse while ensuring your affairs continue to be managed effectively.
Living Wills & Healthcare Directives
Advance healthcare directives and living wills ensure your medical treatment preferences are known and respected if you cannot communicate them yourself. We help you document your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment, organ donation, and other critical healthcare decisions, and designate a healthcare proxy to advocate on your behalf.
Probate
When a loved one passes away, navigating the probate process can be overwhelming. Our probate attorneys guide executors and beneficiaries through court proceedings, asset valuation, creditor notifications, tax filings, and final distribution. We work to resolve probate matters efficiently while minimizing family conflict.
Estate Administration
Beyond probate, estate administration involves managing and distributing assets according to the terms of trusts and other estate planning documents. Our team assists trustees and personal representatives with fiduciary duties, tax obligations, asset transfers, and beneficiary communications throughout the administration process.
Why Estate Planning Matters
Without a proper estate plan, your assets may be distributed according to state intestacy laws rather than your wishes. A comprehensive estate plan provides:
- Control over how your assets are distributed to heirs
- Protection for minor children through guardian designations
- Minimization of estate taxes and probate costs
- Privacy through trust-based planning that avoids public probate
- Protection of assets from creditors and lawsuits
- Provisions for family members with special needs
- Business succession planning for business owners
- Healthcare decision-making when you cannot speak for yourself
When to Create or Update Your Estate Plan
Key life events that signal the need for estate planning include marriage or divorce, the birth of a child or grandchild, acquiring significant assets, starting a business, receiving an inheritance, a change in health status, moving to a new state, or changes in tax laws. We recommend reviewing your estate plan every three to five years or whenever a major life change occurs.
Our Estate Planning Process
We make estate planning straightforward and accessible. Our process begins with a comprehensive consultation to understand your family, assets, and goals. We then develop a customized plan, draft all necessary documents, and walk you through each one to ensure you understand how your plan works. We also provide ongoing support to update your plan as your life evolves.