An Estate Plan begins with a Will or Living Trust. A Will provides your Personal Representative instructions, but does not avoid probate. At Leggett Law, we will assist you with all the steps necessary to protect your wishes and insure that your beneficiaries are prepared for any legal matters that may arise as a result of your death. If you have a complex estate, a revocable living trust may be the preferred plan. Together, we will script a blue print that will give you peace of mind.

No matter how grand or how simple, 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 and personal possessions. None of these things go with you when you depart from this world.

When death happens you want to control how your assets are given to your family, people or organizations you care most about. To confirm your wishes are carried out, you need to provide instructions stating to whom you want to distribute your assets, what you want them to receive, and when they are to receive it. Lastly, you want this to happen with the least amount of cost. Costs to the estate can come in the form of taxes, fees and legal expenses.

Simply put, Estate Planning is making a plan in advance and naming who you want to receive the things you own after you die. However, a GOOD estate plan includes much more than that…

Include instructions for your care if you become disabled before you die.
Name a guardian and an inheritance manager for minor children.
Provide for family members with special needs without disrupting government benefits.
Provide for loved ones who might be irresponsible with money or who may need future protection from creditors or divorce.
Include life insurance to provide for your family at your death, disability income insurance to replace your income if you cannot work due to illness or injury, and long-term care insurance to help pay for your care in case of an extended illness or injury.
Provide for the transfer of your business at your retirement, disability, or death.
Minimize taxes, court costs, and unnecessary legal fees.
Be an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Your plan should be reviewed and updated as your family and financial situations (and laws) change over your lifetime.

At Leggett Law, we will work with you to ensure you have a properly prepared plan in place - one that contains your instructions and will protect your family. This will give you and your loved ones peace of mind. Having a well-planned estate document is one of the most thoughtful and considerate things you can do for yourself and for those you love.