Wills & Personal Planning
Let’s face it: death and incapacity planning is not high on your priority list. But it should be. Let us help you. We often hear that we make the process “pretty painless.”
Protect your legacy. Plan for the future. Anticipate potential health and capacity issues. Retain control. Act now. These are all noble objectives that most people wouldn’t argue against, but the actual process of bringing this all to fruition is often overwhelming. Don’t worry – we break it down into manageable steps to help you.
Getting Started
We require two meetings with you. At the first appointment, we review your assets and family structure, give you advice and education about relevant laws, and take your instructions. At your second appointment, we review and explain the drafted document with you before witnessing your signature on the will.
Note: We firmly decline all requests to witness wills that our office did not prepare. These documents are often prepared by persons without legal knowledge and are rife with errors.
Estate Planning Services
Wills and Codicils
Powers of Attorney (POA)
Representation Agreements
Wills and Codicils
A will is a legal document that appoints a guardian for your minor children and instructs your executor about the distribution of your assets to your chosen beneficiaries. Making a will is not about how much you have; it is about putting the right people in charge and ensuring that what you do have will be given to people and/or causes that are near and dear to you.
If you already have a will, you’re ahead of most people. Just make sure that you review your will periodically because, as time goes on, you may find that your will has become outdated and you need to make changes. If this is the case, we may consider drafting a codicil to make changes to your current will.
Getting started
We require two meetings with you. At the first appointment, we review your assets and family structure, give you advice and education about relevant laws, and take your instructions. At your second appointment, we review and explain the drafted document with you before witnessing your signature on the will.
Note: we firmly decline all requests to witness wills that our office did not prepare. These documents are often prepared by persons without legal knowledge and are rife with errors.
Powers of Attorney (POA)
A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that is used to appoint person(s) – called the “attorney” – to handle your legal and financial affairs on your behalf, while you are alive. (Note: when you die, your POA is void and your will is used). This can include tasks like paying your bills, depositing or withdrawing money from your bank account, making investments with your money, and selling your house.
There are different types of POAs, but the most common is the enduring power of attorney, which is valid for your entire lifetime (until revocation or death), allowing it to continue to be used even if you lose mental capacity. Other types of POAs can be set up to take effect only in certain circumstances. Regardless of the type, a POA confers serious authority and must be given to trusted persons only; but, with the right considerations and advice, a POA can become one of your most critical and relatively inexpensive tools for your future financial planning.
Representation Agreements
A representation agreement (commonly called a “rep agreement”) grants authority to person(s) of your choosing to make medical (health and personal) decisions on your behalf and to advocate for you when you can no longer make these decisions for yourself. A representation agreement can specify the types of treatment you want and the procedures and treatments you do not want.Main Services
01.
Real Estate
Buying? Selling? Mortgaging?
It can all be quite stressful.
We know contracts and real estate; we’re here to guide you through all aspects of the process.
02.
Estate & Personal Planning
Let’s face it: death and incapacity planning is not high on your priority list, but it should be.
Let us help you. We often hear that we make the process “pretty painless.”
03.
Notarizations
Do you need your identity verified? Your signature witnessed? Your original document certified?
Do you require an Apostille/ Authentication for a foreign country? We do it all.