Cucinelli Geiger, PC
Believe it or not, nearly everyone has an estate. Your estate is comprised of everything you own— your car, home, other real estate, checking and savings accounts, investments, life insurance, furniture, personal possessions. No matter how large or how modest, everyone has an estate and something in common—you can’t take it with you when you die.
You probably want to control how those things are given to the people or organizations you care most about. To ensure your wishes are carried out, you need to provide instructions stating whom you want to receive something of yours, what you want them to receive, and when they are to receive it. You will, of course, want this to happen with the least amount paid in taxes, legal fees, and court costs.
That is estate planning—making a plan in advance and naming whom you want to receive the things you own after you die. It is also contemplating who you want to handle your financial and medical affairs should you become disabled.
Estate planning is for everyone.
It is not just for seniors, although people do tend to think about it more as they get older. Unfortunately, we can’t successfully predict how long we will live, and illness and accidents happen to people of all ages.
Estate planning is not just for “the wealthy,” either, although people who have built some wealth do often think more about how to preserve it. Good estate planning often means more to families with modest assets, because they can afford to lose the least.
Too many people don’t plan.
Individuals put off estate planning because they think they don’t own enough, they’re not old enough, they’re busy, think they have plenty of time, they’re confused and don’t know who can help them, or they just don’t want to think it. Then, when something happens to them, their families have to pick up the pieces.
The best time to plan your estate is now.
None of us really likes to think about our own mortality or the possibility of being unable to make decisions for ourselves. This is exactly why so many families are caught off-guard and unprepared when incapacity or death does strike. Don’t wait. You can put something in place now and change it later…which is exactly the way estate planning should be done.
The experienced legal team at our firm will help clients realize their goals and protect their loved ones using documents such as:
- Durable General Power of Attorney for financial affairs
- Advance Medical Directive or living wills for medical affairs
- Last Will and Testament
- Revocable Living Trust
- Trusts for minor children
- Special Needs Trusts
Our firm provides personalized service and quality representation. Whether you are just getting started or have existing documents that need to be reviewed and updated, we will meet with you and discuss what works best for you and your family.