Ensuring an organized and orderly asset transition is vital to achieving the well-being and care of beneficiaries. Planning means using the right strategies to maximize the transition of wealth to the next generation and guard against contingencies. We will help you make these important decisions, and put them in writing, so your intended beneficiaries will benefit from your estate. Read on below, or visit us at 258 Genesee Street in Utica, NY if you’d like to learn more.
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Services
- Health Care Proxies
- Drafting Revocable Living Trusts
- Powers of Attorney
- Estate Tax Planning
- Disposition of Remains Appointments
- Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
- Drafting Wills
Asset Protection Planning
Safeguarding your assets from potential creditors is vital to ensuring those assets will be there to provide for your needs and those of your beneficiaries. Through proactive planning, an Irrevocable Trust can enable you to protect your nest egg, a business, cash, insurance policies and other property against future claims that may arise from civil judgments, divorce or lawsuits. For example, a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust can shield your assets from the high cost of long-term care Irrevocable Trusts can also be used to protect your children’s inheritance — and the inheritance of future generations — from their creditors. We will work closely with you to determine the optimal path for ensuring that your wealth will work for you when you need it most and then go into the hands of those you choose.
Charitable Giving/Legacy Planning
There are several ways you can provide gifts to favored philanthropic organizations. With proper planning, you may be able to plan a gift from your estate to a favorite charity and also receive a favorable income or estate tax deduction for the gift. There are many ways to provide a gift, including giving funds directly, creating a foundation that will continue giving for many years and possibly involve future generations of your family in the charitable mission, establishing a trust to provide you with current income and tax advantages and an eventual gift to the charity, among other options. We will guide you through the many opportunities available for giving to help you determine which best meets your needs and preferences.
Unmarried Couple Planning
Unmarried couples face the same planning challenges that married couples do, yet it is even more important for unmarried couples to put their wishes in writing. The reason? Spouses retain certain rights and priorities that unmarried partners do not have, including making health care decisions, being a guardian for minor children, inheriting assets and being a beneficiary of retirement benefits. We will work with you to establish in writing the benefits and protections you wish for your partner so they are included in your estate plan.