Estate Planning is the process of setting forth your wishes for distributing your assets at your death and utilizing strategies such as tax planning, methods of minimizing administrative costs and protecting your assets in order to ensure that your wishes are carried out to the fullest extent possible.
Estate Planning also includes designating individuals you would like to have named as guardian for minor children, or as trustee to manage assets for children or grandchildren, and designating a person or entity which would take over management of your assets if you could no longer manage assets due to incompetency. Estate Planning also involves leaving directions concerning how decisions about your health care are to be made in the event you become unable to communicate health care decisions yourself.
It is nearly impossible for an individual without legal and tax background to effectively plan an estate. Estate Planning is best accomplished when a client works together with an attorney and the client’s financial advisers to create a complete picture of the client’s goals and then utilizes the best strategies to meet those goals.
Thinking about death, accident or illness is not pleasant. However, if something does happen it becomes a very difficult time for family members to have to try to figure out what you would want to have done with your financial matters and how your minor children or other family members should be cared for. Planning ahead and having information and instructions readily available for your trusted friends or family members who will handle your affairs in the event of an emergency saves money for your family and it reduces stress on those who have to step in and handle matters.
Call today to make an appointment. Your family will thank you for it!