Estate Planning Attorneys
Estate planning is the process of accumulating and disposing of an estate to maximize the goals of the estate owner. Estate planning attorneys help the owner achieve various goals, including making sure the greatest amount of the estate passes to the estate owner's intended beneficiaries, paying the least amount of taxes and avoiding or minimizing probate court involvement.
Estate plans are not just for the wealthy. Every piece of property and possession are in question, so everyone is advised to create an estate plan. Once a plan is developed, however, the owner must re-visit it. An outdated estate plan could be just as disastrous as never creating a plan at all. Shook, Hardy & Bacon?s estate planning attorneys ask our clients to consider the many items that could render an estate plan ineffective, including changes in marital status, the addition, loss or disability of new family members, declining health, changes in charitable inclinations, a change in state of residence and annual changes in tax laws.
Our estate planning attorneys can provide a plan to coordinate wills, trusts, jointly owned property interests, life insurance policies, pension plans, retirement accounts and a living will or healthcare proxy (medical power of attorney). For some people, a trust may also make sense. When putting together a plan, you must be mindful of both federal and state laws governing estates, which is another way our estate planning attorneys can assist you. Additionally, estate planning attorneys are often called upon to designate guardians for minor children and plan for incapacity.
There is no time like the present to create or revise your estate plan, but don?t rely on your friends and neighbors for their estate planning advice. Shook, Hardy & Bacon?s estate planning attorneys are skilled in the ins and outs of how to create that plan to best serve you and your beneficiaries. We?ll work with you to inventory your assets, determine your plans and ensure they comply with the latest regulations. Contact us today. We look forward to helping you achieve peace of mind.
