Considering Estate Plan Options

Our attorneys work closely with clients in creating the following:

• Simple wills
• Health care directives (a/k/a Living Wills or Advanced Directives)
• Special needs trusts
• Revocable / irrevocable trusts
• Testamentary trusts
• Charitable remainders
• Powers of attorney
• Guardianships / conservatorships
• Probate administration
• Wealth Preservation Trusts

Planning for Your Family's Financial Security

A comprehensive estate plan is an effective tool for ensuring that your wishes are respected while securing your family's financial security. However, there are a number of tax, financial, and legal considerations that must be taken into account when structuring a will, trust, guardianship, conservatorship, health care directive or business continuity plan. At Self & Spurgeon Legal Group, PLLC, our attorneys work closely with clients, evaluating their current financial situation in order to determine how best to structure or reallocate assets through a will or trust for tax and legal purposes. If you own a company, we take steps to ensure your company's by laws conform to any proposed business continuity plan. In each case, our attorneys consult tax experts, accountants, and financial planners whenever needed to draft comprehensive and enforceable documents that carry out your wishes.

Regardless of whether you are just starting out as a young family or are facing retirement in the next few years, an estate plan can help you protect more of your hard-earned money. To schedule an appointment and discuss the estate planning options available to you, contact The Self & Spurgeon Legal Group, PLLC today.

The Importance of a Will and the Power of a Trust

A will allows you to elect your estate's executor and direct to whom certain assets and property will be left. In this respect, a will can make the probate process much easier and less contentious. Additionally, a health care directive allows you to specify under what conditions you would like life support withdrawn and resuscitation attempts stopped should you be incapacitated by illness, injury or advanced age. A living will also allows you to transfer powers of attorney to a family member or trusted friend who can then make financial, legal and medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so yourself.

For clients with an ailing spouse or disabled child, a special needs trust allows you to set aside money for that person's daily needs and health care expenses. In many cases, money placed in a special needs trust is tax-exempt and is excluded from Medicaid eligibility calculations. Additionally, trusts can be established to support a cherished cause or reduce tax liability for high-value estates.