Estate Planning

Estate Planning refers to steps we take to implement your wishes after you pass.  Estate Planning can also address what happens if you become incapacitated or are just unavailable (for other reasons) to manage your assets, income, transactions or social issues for your loved ones.  A comprehensive estate plan can encompass treatment for your assets and income, potentially save on taxes and probate fees, designate your agents for powers of attorney, trustees, conservators, guardians, and generally preserve wealth and succession for future generations.

Probate requires public court filings, typically takes at least a year and is significantly more expensive than estate planning. There are a few asset succession procedures that are exempted from the probate process or use a limited or less costly procedure.  The best answer is to have a comprehensive estate plan including a trust in place.  We recommend that a full estate plan be put in place for anyone owning or planning to own real estate, having or planning to have a family, with any significant assets or just wanting their affairs to be kept private.  In those cases where alternatives to the full estate plan is sufficient, we can and do assist clients as well.

Estate Planning is a prudent step for everyone, wealthy or not. The benefits of a properly drafted estate plan include: