Estate Planning
We all know that estate planning for the future is as important as it is exciting. Mapping your future and that of your loved ones requires attention to detail and an expert understanding of all the issues involved. We have helped many clients put their goals on track through constructing a personalized estate plan tailor-made for each client’s goals, resources, and unique family situation.
Estate planning means the process wherein you work with one of the experienced attorneys here at our firm to make arrangements on how your assets and affairs should be handled. Usually this plan is meant to be implemented in the event of your death or incapacity. Documents commonly included in basic estate plans include:
- Last will and testament
- Living will
- Durable Power of attorney for Asset Management
- Durable Power of attorney for Health Care
We can help make sure you leave specific directions concerning your estate and can help ensure that your estate is distributed in accordance with your wishes. In addition, we can help you craft the correct estate planning documents to make sure someone you trust is making your medical decisions for you if you can’t speak for yourself. These documents will also ensure that person will have direction on your preferences for medical decisions. These are not things you want to leave to chance. Without a valid last will and testament, your assets will be distributed according to the state laws of intestacy. With intestacy laws, there is no provision made for friends, charitable organizations, or non-relatives who provided loving end-of-life care. This means that even if you have a close friend or loved one who cared for you in the final days of your life they will receive none of your assets, even if that would have been your preference unless you have a clear and enforceable will directing how your assets should be distributed. Our experienced legal team is well-versed in the essential steps to make sure your wishes are properly carried out.
Estate plans can also include documents that govern the transfer of assets during your life, such as revocable trusts, gun trusts, or cabin trusts. Moreover, estate planning can be essential to make sure that your assets are protected in the event you need long term care at a nursing home. Medicare does not cover long-term nursing home care. Medi-Cal can cover long-term nursing home care but there are strict income and asset caps in order to be eligible. Without a solid a state plan you may be required to spend down all of your assets before receiving benefits. In other words all of the assets you have worked your life so hard to pass on to your friends and loved ones will have to be spent to provide your end-of-life care instead of helping them in their future goals. We can help you craft a custom-made estate plan to make sure your assets are protected while you still obtain the care you need.
Our experienced attorneys can help you review your estate and your goals. We look forward to the opportunity to review your goals and your estate with you. We have extensive experience with helping our clients to reach their goals and make sure that their family is protected for generations to come. Contact us today for a personalized consultation to talk about how we can help you.
