You can’t take it with you.
But you can stay in control.
The fact that you are reading this page indicates you already know how important it is for every adult to have a legal will and understand the estate planning process. A legal will protects your assets in the event of your death, whether at a ripe old age or unexpectedly. Your will then ensures your assets are distributed to the relatives, friends, and charitable organizations you have designated. Failing to provide a legal will mean your assets will be tied up, sometimes for months or even years, until a court decides who gets what. That puts an unnecessary strain on your surviving family and friends at an already difficult and emotional time.
Depending on the complexity and extent of your assets, our estate planning services can mitigate tax implications and probate fees for you, your estate and the inheritors. To that end, the law provides a range of tools to protect your assets and distribute them, according to your wishes, after your death.
Life can take some unexpected turns so, before your death, even long before, you can have a changeable, updatable Living Will to provide for unforeseen circumstances; we can make use of Powers of Attorney if you become unable to make financial and/or legal decisions; and Representation Agreements to assign responsibility for health care decisions. Trusts can be established during your lifetime to provide ongoing financial support for children, others with special needs or disabilities and tax planning purposes. If you own a business we can devise a Succession Plan to protect the future of the legacy you have built. And, if you supported registered charities in life you can continue those efforts with Planned Giving.
If you don’t have a legal will and estate plan, start today at Hamilton Law Group.
