WILLS & TRUSTS
Safeguarding You and Your Loved Ones
DO I REALLY NEED
A WILL & TRUST?
A will is a legal document that allows you to specify how your property and assets will be distributed after your death. You can also use a will to appoint a guardian for your minor children.
Trusts are similar to wills in that they allow you to specify how your property and assets will be distributed after your death. However, trusts can also be used to manage your property and assets during your lifetime.
If you die without a will or trust, your property and assets will be distributed according to state law. This may not be how you would have wanted your property and assets to be distributed. Therefore, it is important to have a will or trust in place to ensure that your wishes are carried out.
WILLS
TRUSTS
SAFEGUARD
YOUR FUTURE
DO I REALLY NEED
A WILL & TRUST?
A will is a legal document that allows you to specify how your property and assets will be distributed after your death. You can also use a will to appoint a guardian for your minor children.
Trusts are similar to wills in that they allow you to specify how your property and assets will be distributed after your death. However, trusts can also be used to manage your property and assets during your lifetime.
If you die without a will or trust, your property and assets will be distributed according to state law. This may not be how you would have wanted your property and assets to be distributed. Therefore, it is important to have a will or trust in place to ensure that your wishes are carried out.
WILLS
TRUSTS
SAFEGUARD
YOUR FUTURE
Why Is It Beneficial to Hire an Attorney?
The process of creating a properly funded trust can be extremely complicated. Going through the process without legal counsel is not advisable. A common misconception is that all trusts are the same. This is false. The provisions and features contained in trusts can vary greatly, and a trust that does not have all the features you need for your situation will not do you much good. An experienced estate planning attorney has handled thousands of estate plans and witnessed how they work with real-life scenarios. That attorney can use those experiences to give you the best advice for your particular situation.
Most people have never created a trust before, and even those that have, they never really understood all of the provisions. An experienced estate planning attorney can guide you through the process, recommend all of the features you need, show you where the pitfalls are, and guide your estate safely around those dangers, such as incapacity, taxes, blended family, asset protection for your children, and the list goes on.
What Are the Next Steps?
STEP 1 :
Schedule an appointment during which we will discuss the specifics of your situation and what your estate plan should contain. We will gently guide you through the discussion as we gather information and provide you with education and advice based on your specific needs. We will inform you about which features we recommend in order to meet your goals while protecting you and saving you money. During the design process, you will make informed decisions about the details of your estate plan.
STEP 2 :
Creation of the legal documents based on the design in Step One. We will draft the documents then let you know as soon as the documents are complete so that you can review them and let us know if you have any questions or revisions. Once everything looks perfect, you will sign the documents to make them official.
STEP 3 :
Funding is the process of putting your assets into your trust. Creating a trust isn’t enough to avoid probate. You may still need to put your house, your bank accounts, your investment accounts, etc., in your trust. Additionally, there are certain assets, such as retirement accounts, that require proper beneficiary designations. If the funding process is done correctly, all of your assets will go to the proper beneficiaries upon your death without having to go through probate
SECURE YOUR WISHES IN DEATH
No matter how big or small your estate may be, it is important to have a plan in place for what will happen to your assets after you pass away. Without a will and trust lawyer, your loved ones could end up fighting over your belongings or even losing them entirely.
Contact one of our experienced attorneys today to get started.
