Our firm focuses on the following aspects of Estate Law: Drafting of essential estate documents including Wills, Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Living Wills/Directives to Physicians. We also represent executors of estates in Probate Court.
Every person needs at least a simple Will. If you pass away without a Will, you lose control over who receives what portion of your estate, and that decision is left entirely up to the State.
We carefully analyze the estate needs of each new client in making a determination, which is fully discussed with each client, of which estate documents are required. Generally speaking this firm recommends that a revocable living trust be drafted for any client who has an gross estate (debts and mortgages are not deducted) in excess of $ 150,000.00, in order to avoid the time, expense, public nature, and anguish of a Probate Proceeding, which is required for all such estates if only a simple Will is drafted. A Living Trust does not remove control over your assets from you while you are alive and of sound mind.
Powers of Attorney are also a vital component of estate planning, as they nominate agents to handle your health care decisions and financial transactions, generally in the event you become mentally incapable of taking care of these needs yourself. They are essential to avoid the cost, expense and anguish of a conservatorship proceeding in the Probate Court, which would be necessary should you not have the Powers of Attorney and become mentally unfit.
Living Wills/Directives to Physicians are needed so that in the event you should fall into an irreversible coma or persistent vegetative state, or have otherwise been diagnosed as terminal by at least two physicians in writing, you can state your wishes as to whether or not you wish life-support equipment to continue or to be discontinued.
This office has drafted a very large number of estate documents over the past 14 years. We take pride in our individual approach and responsiveness to our clients' needs.
