Practice Areas.

Protect Your Assets with a Living Trust

Without a living trust, a probate court must oversee the distribution of a deceased person’s estate, and court records are public records, which means creditors or other strangers can see what property a person has at death. Administering an estate through the probate process is often a time-consuming, contentious and expensive circumstance that can be avoided through careful estate planning.

A living trust keeps your assets out of court and away from prying eyes. And, living trusts are easy to change as your life circumstances change. Living trusts can also be written with specific instructions regarding inheritance, such as when a distribution can be made, or how it is used.

Long Term Care Planning and Elder Law Issues

The most underused aspect of your Estate Planning Portfolio is its ability to manage any future potential incapacity. Often a simple will and power of attorney are insufficient to protect you if you lose the ability to manage your own affairs. And that can get costly and confusing to everyone involved. A comprehensive Estate Plan will virtually eliminate this possibility, and provide you with the best legal mechanisms to direct how your estate will be managed and how you should be cared for in the event you can no longer manage on your own.

As we age, and watch our parent’s health decline, unfamiliar subjects need to be considered, including senior housing, home health care, and long-term care. Guardianships and working with Medicare Administrators can also require a legal advocate and spokesperson to ensure that your wishes are carried out, especially when the unexpected happens.

• Medicare and VA Benefits Considerations
• Special Needs Planning
• Guardianships & Conservatorships