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Compassionate And Cohesive Estate Planning Services

Waite, Tomb & Eberly appreciates the importance of planning for the next generation. We are committed to helping clients preserve their assets and transfer them efficiently to their loved ones. Families rely on us to meet their individual needs in the estate planning process while educating them on the full range of legal options available.

Our attorneys provide comprehensive legal advice, from drafting and reviewing documents to enforcing estate planning documents through the probate process. We have extensive experience helping clients with wills and trusts while reducing probate costs and minimizing estate taxes. Some of our estate planning services include:

  • Last wills and testaments
  • Living wills
  • Pour-over wills
  • Trusts, including testamentary trusts, revocable living trusts, probate avoidance trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, special needs trusts and more
  • Powers of attorney
  • Health care powers of attorney
  • Estate tax planning
  • Probate matters

Our attorneys first work to develop a complete understanding of your situation and priorities. From there, we explain your options for transferring property. We also address important concerns such as the guardianship of minor children. With this complete perspective gained through a comprehensive evaluation, we will help you execute what works best for you and your family.

What Is A Health Care Power Of Attorney?

Medical directives are often overlooked in estate planning. People go to great lengths to preserve their assets for the benefit of their family, but by failing to leave clear directions regarding their medical treatment can jeopardize both their assets and their family’s well-being. Should you become incapacitated by injury or illness, these documents allow you to state what type of treatment you want and don’t want and choose a representative to enforce your wishes. Our attorneys can help you complete a health care directive so that your wishes are clearly understood, saving your loved ones from having to make difficult decisions on your behalf.

Do I Really Need A Will?

A will is the best way to ensure that your estate – or the property and assets you have at the time of your death – is distributed according to your wishes after your passing. Through proper planning, your will enables you to:

  • Appoint an executor for your estate
  • Appoint guardians and successor guardians for your children
  • Direct the distribution of your property
  • Create a trust or life estate
  • Transfer real estate titles
  • Divide your company as a business owner
  • Make plans for long-term care
  • Provide for the payment of debts
  • Choose the powers granted to the executor
  • Reduce the risk of disputes over your estate

Wills are not just for the wealthy – they are essential for everyone who owns property or has children. Even small estates can lead to bitter disputes if not handled correctly, exacerbating family tensions and sometimes consuming a large portion of the estate’s value.

Changing Your Will Versus Keeping Your Will Current

Most people understand the importance of having a will and take the time at some point in their lives to prepare and execute one. However, the most effective estate planning requires attention after the document is completed. We work with our clients to keep wills current through such events as:

  • Life changes: Almost any significant life change necessitates a review of will provisions. A move to another state, change in marital status, or addition of children should prompt immediate review. Even without such major events, relationships and financial needs vary with time, and a frequent check-in is important to ensure that your wishes are adequately reflected in your will.
  • Adjustment in the estate: One can amass a great deal of property over the course of a decade or three. This might trigger additional tax liability or prompt new ideas on how to distribute everything, such as a charitable bequest. We can help you consider the revised landscape and execute a codicil or new will to reflect your circumstances.
  • Legal updates: Federal and state probate laws change over time; our knowledgeable attorneys keep clients informed of how these modifications affect their unique estate plan. Whether or not we assisted with your original will, our attorneys will take the time to conduct a comprehensive evaluation, ensuring that it and other estate planning instruments are up-to-date.

If you let your will get out-of-date, your loved ones might not have an accurate idea of how to handle your medical care, distribute your assets and make other decisions on your behalf.

Ask Us About Making Your Estate Plan

You can contact our experienced estate planning attorneys in Troy today for legal assistance. We can help you make an estate plan that takes your wishes into account and protects your loved ones. To learn more, schedule a consultation with us by calling 937-339-3939 or by using our online contact form.