What does it mean to have an Estate Plan?

An estate plan consists of legal documents that help to convey your wishes as to how you want your personal care and things managed if you become incapacitated and eventually after you die. Not only does an estate plan help you to document what you want, but it also can reduce potential stress and costly problems for your family by giving them the authority to carry out your wishes and saving them from the agony of trying to guess what you want.

A typical estate plan includes the following tools to help you plan for and deal with incapacity and death:

• Durable Health Care Power of Attorney;
• Durable Financial Power of Attorney;
• Health Care Directive (also known as Living Will);
• Last Will and Testament; and
• Disposition of Remains.

Depending on your situation, you may also need:

• Community and Separate Property Agreement;
• Special Needs Trust;
• Advanced Mental Health Directive;
• Advanced Directive for Alzheimer’s or Dementia;
• Codicil (to make changes or additions to a Last Will and Testament previously executed); and/or
• Financing Long-Term Care (i.e., Medicaid planning).

To begin the process of formulating your estate plan needs, please feel free to download and complete the following intake form prior to your consultation.