Estate planning on your own can be complicated and costly. Many assume that estate taxes will not affect them or their heirs. Some may take the approach they will just let their heirs deal with the issues. Things change over time, including the estate tax laws. Plans made years ago may need to be revised.
We have seen some bad results of poor planning, outdated planning and the failure to plan. The decision to let your heirs and/or your estate deal with the estate tax issues after your death can result in more estate tax being paid than would have been the case with some timely planning. It is not uncommon for heirs to come to us with estate tax problems.
We can offer our experience in estate planning to deal with your questions.
- Could an heir be too young to inherit?
- Should the inheritance be given at a certain age?
- Is the intended beneficiary in a shaky marriage with divorce as a possibility? Are there children from a previous marriage?
- Should inheritance be protected from potential creditors of the heir?
- Are there taxes that can be avoided?
- Are you able to avoid the probate court rules, delays, and costs?
Planning what happens to your estate can seem frustrating and intimidating without qualified help. You may feel that you're too young to care about estate planning. Or, perhaps the reminder of death makes you uncomfortable. You might be tempted to put the whole thing off, assuming that it will just take care of itself. Estate planning can result in saving your family lots of time, heartache and taxes.
And we can help.
Every estate planning situation is different. In order to help you, we want to know you, your unique situation, and the nature of your relationships. We offer discussion, recommendations and useful research tools to make your planning simple, efficient, and deal with the tax issues. We are available throughout the process for further discussion regarding questions, change of circumstances, and alternatives. At every step, we'll be there with you.
We stand ready to help you ...
- Clearly defining your estate planning goals.
- Organizing and creating your estate planning team (experts on law, finance, and taxes) if you need one.
- Evaluating and recommending estate planning options.
- Organizing and reviewing your estate planning documents including current wills, trusts, health care and power of attorney.
- Work to decrease the problems and expenses associated with probate.
- Lessen taxes at time of death.
- Arrange for management of your estate in the event you are incapacitated.
- Draft a working plan for conserving and effectively managing your estate after death.
- Transfer the assets of your estate to heirs the way you want.
- Organize fair and adequate liquidation of estate to cover taxes and other expenses.
- Amend your plan as needed.
We can also help you with plans and questions about...
- Living Wills and Trusts.
- Lifetime Family Wealth Transfers.
- Family partnerships and other business relationships.
- Leaving money to charities.
- Preparation for estate and trust tax problems.
The hassles and red tape associated with estate planning can be daunting, but you don't need to do it alone. Our team is waiting to assist you through every step of the process.
