What is an Estate Plan?
An estate plan is a device that helps you protect your family when you are unable to.
Together, we can customize the right estate plan for you and your family by using a variety of estate planning tools, including: a will, trusts, health care directive and power of attorney.
Will
A will is a document that ensures that your property goes where you want it to after you pass away. If you die without a will, the state is left to distribute your property; sometimes in a way that you would not have intended.
Trusts
A trust is a tool that can help you transfer assets to minors or anyone else in a controllable way. Trusts empower a “trustee” to control your assets while protecting it from creditors (and to some extent, taxes).
Guardianships
A guardianship provision in your will tells the courts who you would like to be the guardian of your children if you should pass away.
Health Care Directive
Health care directives—sometimes known as “living wills”—tell health care providers what your wishes are in case you are unable to. These documents can also appoint someone you trust to act as your “agent” on your behalf. This empowers your agent to arrange your finances and medical decisions in the event that you are incapacitated.
Power of Attorney
A power of attorney empowers another person to step into your shoes. This can mean that they are given access to your bank accounts in the event that you are unable to access them yourself. This can be a useful tool in case you become incapacitated or otherwise unavailable for long periods of time.
