Our Approach
The estate plans we prepare are comprehensive sets of documents. If you already have an estate plan in place, we can review your existing documents and make any changes you might want, as well as present other alternatives or recommendations for your consideration. We can also assist you in preparing beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and life insurance policies so that these assets are part of an overall coordinated plan. With your consent, we may consult with any professionals or advisors you might have (such as your CPA, financial advisor or physician) to coordinate various aspects of your estate plan and ensure that your goals are achieved.
The process of establishing or even just amending an estate plan can be difficult and emotional. We invite our clients to freely discuss their thoughts and feelings at our meetings to help us understand what lies behind the decisions. Working together, we can help you find a balance between planning for the inevitable and getting the most out of the present.
Decision Making
There are three big questions to consider when planning your estate:
Be Ready for the Unexpected and the Inevitable
A fact of life is the inevitability of death, and knowing it can occur when least expected is a challenge we all face. The establishment of an estate plan will give you the peace of mind that comes with preparation for an uncertain future.
Preparing your estate plan is also an act of love and generosity. When you prepare ahead of time for how and to whom your belongings and assets will be distributed, and have a plan that makes the administration of the estate quicker and easier, you relieve much of the burden that your survivors might otherwise carry.
Just getting here is an important first step toward preparing for your own incapacity or death. You will find that working with us streamlines the process into straightforward decisions and options to develop the right plan for you.
Depending on your goals, our estate plans are designed to ensure that your assets pass free of unnecessary taxes and probate, to appoint guardians and plan for your minor children, to protect your surviving spouse or partner, and more. We can help whether you are planning for complex and valuable assets, or just want to preserve your home and ensure the care of your young children. Whatever your goals may be, we deliver all of our services with the highest level of skill and compassion.
Estate Planning 101
A basic Colorado estate plan includes a Will, General Durable Power of Attorney, Medical Durable Power of Attorney, and Advance Directive for Medical/Surgical Treatment (sometimes referred to as a “Living Will”). Your Will passes your assets at death and designates guardians for your minor children. In your General Durable Power of Attorney and Medical Durable Power of Attorney, you appoint someone to make financial or health care decisions for you, respectively, in the event you are unable to make them for yourself. The Advance Directive for Medical/Surgical Treatment includes instructions about substantive health care decisions or end-of-life decisions.
What is a Revocable Living Trust?
Your estate plan may also include a Revocable Living Trust, which, together with your Will, directs the disposition of your assets at death. During life, the Revocable Living Trust holds your assets, but you retain complete access to, and control over, those assets. The Revocable Living Trust provides for continuous administration of your assets in the event of your incapacity or death, without the need to go through a costly and cumbersome probate court proceeding.
Please reach out to schedule your free consultation today. Contact us here.
The estate plans we prepare are comprehensive sets of documents. If you already have an estate plan in place, we can review your existing documents and make any changes you might want, as well as present other alternatives or recommendations for your consideration. We can also assist you in preparing beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and life insurance policies so that these assets are part of an overall coordinated plan. With your consent, we may consult with any professionals or advisors you might have (such as your CPA, financial advisor or physician) to coordinate various aspects of your estate plan and ensure that your goals are achieved.
The process of establishing or even just amending an estate plan can be difficult and emotional. We invite our clients to freely discuss their thoughts and feelings at our meetings to help us understand what lies behind the decisions. Working together, we can help you find a balance between planning for the inevitable and getting the most out of the present.
Decision Making
There are three big questions to consider when planning your estate:
- Who will inherit your assets?
- Who will have the authority to make financial or medical decisions for you in the event of your incapacity or death?
- If you have minor children, who will be their guardian?
Be Ready for the Unexpected and the Inevitable
A fact of life is the inevitability of death, and knowing it can occur when least expected is a challenge we all face. The establishment of an estate plan will give you the peace of mind that comes with preparation for an uncertain future.
Preparing your estate plan is also an act of love and generosity. When you prepare ahead of time for how and to whom your belongings and assets will be distributed, and have a plan that makes the administration of the estate quicker and easier, you relieve much of the burden that your survivors might otherwise carry.
Just getting here is an important first step toward preparing for your own incapacity or death. You will find that working with us streamlines the process into straightforward decisions and options to develop the right plan for you.
Depending on your goals, our estate plans are designed to ensure that your assets pass free of unnecessary taxes and probate, to appoint guardians and plan for your minor children, to protect your surviving spouse or partner, and more. We can help whether you are planning for complex and valuable assets, or just want to preserve your home and ensure the care of your young children. Whatever your goals may be, we deliver all of our services with the highest level of skill and compassion.
Estate Planning 101
A basic Colorado estate plan includes a Will, General Durable Power of Attorney, Medical Durable Power of Attorney, and Advance Directive for Medical/Surgical Treatment (sometimes referred to as a “Living Will”). Your Will passes your assets at death and designates guardians for your minor children. In your General Durable Power of Attorney and Medical Durable Power of Attorney, you appoint someone to make financial or health care decisions for you, respectively, in the event you are unable to make them for yourself. The Advance Directive for Medical/Surgical Treatment includes instructions about substantive health care decisions or end-of-life decisions.
What is a Revocable Living Trust?
Your estate plan may also include a Revocable Living Trust, which, together with your Will, directs the disposition of your assets at death. During life, the Revocable Living Trust holds your assets, but you retain complete access to, and control over, those assets. The Revocable Living Trust provides for continuous administration of your assets in the event of your incapacity or death, without the need to go through a costly and cumbersome probate court proceeding.
Please reach out to schedule your free consultation today. Contact us here.