Having a properly prepared estate plan is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your legacy is left in the way you intended. Whether avoiding probate, minimizing estate taxes, providing for minor children or a loved one with special needs, or transferring assets smoothly, the experienced attorneys at Pepping, Balk, Kincaid & Olson, Ltd can provide a strategy and plan that is customized for your individual situation.

The specific things to include in your estate plan vary depending upon your assets; whether you own a business; how you want to protect your family; and the value of your estate.

 Your Plan May Need to Include:

• A Last Will and Testament. This can be used to specify how assets should transfer.

• A Trust. A Trust has lots of different purposes, from allowing you to provide for children or a loved one with a disability to helping you protect assets. You’ll need help choosing the right type of trust and following formalities for trust creation.

• Advanced Directives. You will need to use advanced directives like a living will or healthcare power of attorney to specify what kinds of medical care you wish to receive and what kinds of care you wish to decline.

• A Power of Attorney. This gives someone authority to act on your behalf in the management of your assets. You can maintain a greater degree of autonomy by ensuring you have chosen your agent.

You may also get help with structuring ownership of joint accounts, estate tax avoidance, investment decisions, and a wide variety of other legal matters when you work with an estate planning lawyer. The experienced estate planning attorneys at our firm know what legal tools are available; which is key to making effective use of those legal tools to protect you and the people who you care about.

Call us and speak with Jennifer Kincaid, Steven Balk, Katherine Varlas-Teel, or William O’Brien to discuss your specifics needs.