Estate Planning

A living trust is a foundational component of your estate plan that allows you to manage and protect your assets during your lifetime and ensure a smooth transfer to your beneficiaries after your death. It helps avoid probate, ensuring privacy and reducing the time and costs associated with estate settlement. By establishing a living trust, you can maintain control over your assets, provide clear instructions for their distribution, and designate a trustee to manage the assets if you become incapacitated.

A pour-over will complements your living trust by capturing any assets not already placed into the trust during your lifetime. Upon your death, these assets are “poured over” into the trust, ensuring they are managed according to your wishes. Additionally, if you have minor children, a pour-over will is essential for appointing a guardian to care for them, providing peace of mind that they will be looked after by a trusted individual.

A general durable power of attorney is a crucial document that grants a designated person the authority to manage your financial and legal affairs if you become incapacitated. This includes handling transactions, managing investments, paying bills, and making real estate decisions. Having a general durable power of attorney ensures that your financial matters can be efficiently managed without court intervention, providing continuity and security.

A HIPAA authorization for disclosure allows you to appoint a health agent who can receive your medical information in the event of hospitalization or incapacitation. This ensures that your appointed agent can access important health information to make informed decisions about your care and communicate with healthcare providers on your behalf, safeguarding your medical privacy and ensuring continuity of care.

An advance health care directive, also known as a living will, is a legal document that outlines your preferences for medical treatment if you become unable to communicate or make decisions for yourself. It includes instructions on life-sustaining measures, pain management, and other critical medical decisions. Having an advance health care directive ensures that your medical wishes are respected, reduces the burden on family members during difficult times, and provides clear guidance to healthcare providers on your desired care.