WILLS, TRUSTS & ESTATES
ESTATE PLANNING & ADMINISTRATION
Thinking about what will happen to your family after you are gone can be difficult for many people.
We are experienced in consulting with individuals and families so we can prepare their estate planning documents tailored to their wishes, whether they need a will or a trust, and encourage all clients to have up to date Powers of Attorney and Health Care Advance Directives. We also handle Guardianship and Conservatorship matters, as well as the Administration of Estates and the Administration of Trusts when a loved one has passed on.
TAX PREPARATION
Creating an Estate Plan is often an uncomfortable and unpleasant subject. Our team strives to provide thorough, professional service in assisting clients in making sure their wishes are carried out, that tax consequences are minimized, and complex family or financial situations are addressed. We also create Powers of Attorney to assist clients while they are still living. After a loved one has passed away, our team will assist the family in going through the probate process if necessary. If a guardianship and/or conservatorship are necessary to handle a loved one’s affairs, our team can also offer assistance.
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The standard estate plan will include a Last Will and Testament and Powers of Attorney (Durable General and Health Care, including a Living Will).
More complex estate plans may include trusts or other planning. Our team will also assist clients in amending previous planning documents.
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Clients can expect two meetings with our attorneys: an initial consultation, and a final meeting in which the Estate plan is signed. Before the initial consultation, our team provides a questionnaire to assist the clients in thinking about their wishes so the initial consultation goes smoothly. After the initial consultation, we will draft an estate plan crafted to the client’s specific wishes and send it to the client for review. When the client reviews the estate plan, they should notify us of any changes by email or telephone before making an appointment for the estate plan signing appointment.
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During the administration of an estate or trust, our team will help guide the personal representative (Executor, Administrator, or Trustee) through the process, from the decision of what process is necessary to the closing of the estate or trust. Drawing from our education with a major in Accounting, we assist with not only valuing the estate, calculating the distributions to creditors and beneficiaries, and complete the tax returns ourselves rather than outsourcing them to someone not familiar with the estate or trust.