Estate & Personal Planning
Protecting you and Your Family Through Proper Planning
Estate Planning and Personal Planning
Some people are reluctant to establish an estate plan, perhaps because they feel that only rich people need to plan their estates. But the fact is you do not need to have a lot of property to want to protect it.
The purpose of estate planning is to provide you and your loved ones with peace of mind. An ounce of preservation is worth a pound or more of cure; with a little planning, you can pass on your wealth to the loved ones you choose, in the way you choose, and reduce or eliminate the opportunity for disputes and problems in the future. It is a great service to your family to know that.
Our lawyers and their support staff offer extensive experience and expertise to assist you, the client, in structuring property dispositions which are designed to carry out your priorities. This may involve properly prepared wills, trusts, powers of attorney and related documents, which reduce delays and expense. A clearly expressed will or trust is calculated to minimize later controversy. We don’t just put documents together; we work with you to identify your objectives, and determine appropriate arrangements suited to achieve your particular goals. Whether it is a simple transfer to family members or crafting plans to accommodate high net worth transfers of business interests to heirs or charity, the focus remains that of achieving client goals in an economical manner.
The Process of Estate Planning
Most of our clients are pleasantly surprised with how simple the process of estate and personal planning really is.
Initial consultation
You will start with a simple conversation with one of our estate planning lawyers about the objectives you wish to achieve in distributing your wealth. The confidential discussion will consider methods of dealing with tax sensitive holdings, such as accumulated retirement savings. We may alert you to alternative methods and provide guidance to assist you in choosing the option which is best suited to achieving your objectives. Special needs, such as disabilities that may interfere with a beneficiary’s enjoyment of an inheritance, may be explored at this stage. The candid discussion during the initial meeting will permit us to advise and assist you in making informed decisions.
Document gathering
After the initial consultation, we will gather various documents and information to assist us in creating your plan.
Drafting
We will draft the will, trust documents, powers of attorney, and other papers that will serve as your estate plan. More importantly, we will take the time to explain to you what each of these documents means and does.
Review and Execution
Once the documents are drafted, we will take time to review them to make sure they fit your specific needs. Then we will meet with you to sign and notarize the documents so as to make them official.
Specializing in Peace of Mind
Clients of Shambaugh, Kast, Beck & Williams, LLP appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing they are working with experienced professionals who specialize in the complex legal issues surrounding estate planning. Attorneys Steve Williams, Nate Williams, and Ben Williams are each certified estate planning specialists.
If you are interested in exploring and discussing your estate planning options, call our office or contact us online today.