Wills, Estate Administration, and Elder Law
If you are starting a family, facing retirement, or taking care of an elderly parent, creating a will or testamentary trust is essential and can be extremely beneficial to you and your family. An estate plan can provide financial support for an important cause, disabled family member, or closely held business following your death. You can also designate who will make decisions for you when you are unable to do so, through powers of attorney, and specify when to end resuscitation efforts or life support.
The attorneys at Smith & Wells, P.C. work closely with individuals and families to create wills, trusts, and business continuity plans and estate plans.
Creating a Will, Trust, or Business Continuity Plan
Our estate planning attorneys assist clients with following estate planning tools:
- Wills
- Testamentary trusts
- Durable powers of attorney
- Advance medical directives
- Guardianship/conservatorship
- Business continuity plans
- Wealth preservation counseling
- Asset protection counseling
- Family liabilities companies/corporations
Probate and Estate Planning
An estate plan can avoid the probate process altogether or at least make the probate process easier for your family. While an estate plan may not prevent a will from being contested, it can make it more difficult for disgruntled family members from trying to appropriate assets or become the executor of your estate. While our office is prepared to defend or contest a will, we can also help clients through each stage of the probate and estate administration process.
At Smith & Wells, P.C. we make our goals in transferring and protecting your assets our primary concern in the estate planning process. After consulting with you, we can ensure that your assets are properly transferred with the least possible tax consequences. Therefore, the most effective planning and administration of an estate require a personal understanding of a client’s financial situation and the understanding of current property and tax laws.