Real Life Examples of Work
01
Estate Plan for a Retired Couple
A properly designed estate plan focuses on the person before the person's assets. We work with families to ensure guardianships and conservatorships are avoided upon future incapacity, providing your most trusted family members or friends the ability to handle their affairs privately without court involvement. Next, we look at family dynamics, and each client's desire to provide for their choice of beneficiaries. We understand that not all beneficiaries have equal needs and that some clients have charitable intent. No two estate plans should be the same. We will help you design yours with compassion, confidentiality, and extensive experience.
02
Estate Plan for Brand New Parents
The moment you become parents to your first child your priorities dramatically shift. You are on a new path full of joy, tears, caffeine, and more diapers than you can ever count. You realize how important it is to plan for their future in the event the worst-case-scenario becomes reality. Estate Planning is one way you can ensure your born or pre-born children, and any subsequent children, will be more likely to have the Guardians you trust raise them, and the Conservators and Trustees you would trust to carefully manage their assets and provide for their health, support, care, and maintenance. We will guide you through the decision-making process and provide you with an estate plan which allows you to protect your children even if they prematurely face the path of living life without you.
03
Guardianship and Conservatorship for Mom or Dad
No one wants to parent their parents, but sometimes, parents simply need the strong, clear-thinking protection and leadership of the children they raised, such as when dad can't remember to take his prescriptions, turn off the stove, or pay his water bill; or a new neighbor suddenly befriends your mom and is receiving generous gifts from her that she can't remember giving; or mom takes a bad fall which causes a head injury leaving her in need of skilled nursing care and is too confused to make legal decisions. When mom or dad don't establish powers of attorney while they are able it can become necessary to step in as their Guardian or Conservator for their health and safety.
04
Probate of a Loved One's Estate
Your loved one passed away recently and you found a Will amongst their documents. It names you as the Personal Representative for Probate. Probate equals court, and court can be complex and overwhelming. Typically, Probate is required when a decedent owns one or more assets in his/her individual name, with no co-owner or designated beneficiary. An application for Probate, and numerous other documents must be prepared and filed with the Court. Once Probate is open, court requirements and time frames must be followed. Ultimately, assets must be accounted for prior to their distribution to beneficiaries.
05
Administration of a Parent's Trust
Your parent just passed away and you are named as successor Trustee of their Trust. The Trust is forty pages long and you're not sure where to start or what to do. We will guide you through the process of administering the Trust; helping you understand how to take control of the assets, which legal procedures must be followed, which notices must be given to beneficiaries and creditors, when tax requirements must be satisfied, how to account for and liquidate assets, and keeping beneficiaries informed of your progress and seeking their approval of distributions. All of this can typically be completed outside of the watchful eye of the Probate Court.
06
Inheritance Planning for the Family Cottage
Family cottages are often enjoyed by generations. It is important to look at the facts and circumstances of each family to determine if a cottage should be maintained or sold following the death of the owner(s). Trusts can specify that a cottage remain in the trust for a certain period of time, and dictate who is allowed to benefit from use and enjoyment. In other instances, it is more beneficial for cottages to be sold so that children and loved ones may inherit the proceeds for use and enjoyment in other ways. Other times, ownership of a cottage transfers immediately upon death to one or more beneficiaries. If ownership transfers to multiple beneficiaries, a joint ownership agreement is greatly beneficial to specify the rights and responsibilities of each owner.
