Estate Planning

Simply put, estate planning is the process meant to ensure that, if you die or become incapacitated, what you want to happen to you and to your assets actually happens.  This process includes not only drafting documents, but also spending time learning about you, your family, your goals and hopes for your family’s future. Estate planning is for everyone.  Whether a person is single, married, has no children, has young children, or has adult children growing families of their own, one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones is to establish an estate plan.  A well-designed estate plan will provide for health decisions and financial decisions to be made in case you become incapacitated; provide for loved ones, including minor children and aging parents; reduce or avoid estate taxes, and provide for charitable organizations – all in the most streamlined and comfortable way possible for those who must carry out those plans.

I meet with individuals and families to review their personal and financial situation, including their needs, concerns, hopes and goals.  Based on those discussions, I come up with the options available and my recommendation for them.  This may include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance medical directives,  business documents, or a combination of these, depending on client needs and goals. Once their estate plan is in place, my clients not only can check “call a lawyer about an estate plan” off of their to do list, but also enjoy peace of mind knowing that they have done all they can to provide for themselves and their loved ones in case an unexpected crisis occurs.  They also know that, if they have questions or needs related to their estate plans,  they have a trusted partner to call.