Estate Planning: Wills & Trusts

Our estate planning attorneys assist clients with their estate planning needs. What is estate planning? Simply put, it is your plan to instruct how your assets will be distributed upon your passing or controlled if you become incapacitated. Having a Will or Trust will ensure your wishes are completed with a minimum of headaches to your beneficiaries. Whether your needs are basic, involving a simple will, or complex, involving tax planning or multi-generational transfers, our attorneys are ready to assist. A complete estate plan includes […]

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Revocable Living Trusts

We receive lots of questions about Revocable Living Trusts. Most people have heard about them but them actually understand little about them. A Revocable Living Trust is a legal document that includes instructions regarding what should be done with your assets when you die. Now, you may be thinking — isn’t that what a Will does? Yes, that’s exactly what a Will does, however, the key different between a Will and a Trust is that a Trust prevents the assets in the Trust from being […]

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Living Wills

Though many of us would prefer to avoid it, the right-to-die legal case of Terri Schiavo case has undoubtedly increased awareness regarding the importance of living wills. It has increased awareness—but will it really motivate people to actually sign living wills? Are you going to sign a living will now? A living will is an expression of your wishes regarding end-of-life decisions. If you don’t want to be kept alive artificially, should you be terminally ill and unconscious with no chance of recovery (as decided by two […]

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Transferring Property Upon Your Death

There are essentially five ways an individual  can transfer property to their loved ones upon their death.  Depending on the age of the persons who will be receiving property or the dynamics among family members who are receiving the property, it is important to choose your method of transfer very carefully. Leave Property Titled Solely in Your Name (i.e. do nothing to plan for property after your death) – If you do absolutely nothing to pre-plan for the transfer of your assets and your property is […]

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Durable Powers of Attorney

What is a durable general power of attorney? A durable general power of attorney is a legal document where one person (the principal) authorizes another (the agent) to act on the principal’s behalf regarding financial decisions. It is an estate planning document which allows a person to plan for care and control of property in the event he or she becomes incapacitated. Powers of attorney are the single most important documents to put in place so that a family member or trusted friend will have […]

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