Walpole Estate Planning Lawyer
Fisher Law LLC is privileged to help the people of Walpole with their estate planning needs. After thoughtful, frank discussions about your needs and desires, our team proceeds to create the right set of legal documents – wills, trusts, powers of attorney and advance directives – to make sure you and your family are well protected and cared for no matter what changes or surprises life may bring. For highly professional and capable estate planning in a relaxed and comfortable environment, call Fisher Law LLC for comprehensive estate planning in Walpole.
Walpole Wills and Trusts Lawyer
A major focus of estate planning is deciding what will happen to the contents of your estate plan after you are gone. Do you plan to leave everything to your spouse and children, or do you wish to make specific gifts to specific people, whether they be family, friends, caregivers, or institutions such as colleges, churches, public parks or charities? Do any members of your family have special needs that require additional help or special consideration? Are you worried about losing a sizeable portion of your estate to Massachusetts or federal estate taxes? These are just a few of the questions you might need to think about when fashioning your estate plan. At Fisher Law LLC, our Walpole estate planning lawyer takes the time to understand your needs and craft the right set of legal documents to meet your goals. Below are a few of the key documents we can help you with, depending on your needs.
Will – Distribute the contents of your probate estate to your heirs in the proportion you deem most appropriate. Leave a legacy for future generations. Name a guardian to look after your minor children and provide for their needs. Appoint someone you trust to serve as the personal representative of your estate.
Revocable Living Trust – Transfer liquid assets, such as bank accounts, investment or brokerage accounts, stocks, or real estate to your beneficiaries without going through probate. Settle your estate privately without the terms becoming a matter of public record. Attach conditions regarding access and use of funds so you’ll know the money or property you leave will be used wisely and appreciated by the people to whom you leave it. Avoid probate and minimize estate taxes.
Irrevocable Trust – There are different types of irrevocable trusts that can avoid probate, remove assets from being includable in your taxable estate, as well as qualify you for means-tested benefits that pay for long term care. Specifically, an irrevocable (and revocable) trust can avoid estate taxes that can take up to 40% (federal) or 16% (Massachusetts) of your estate and give it to the government. It can also protect your assets from your creditors or the creditors of your beneficiaries, so that a gift to a person, such as your adult child, is not divided in a subsequent divorce proceeding, as well as shelter assets from the devastating financial costs of long term care.
Testamentary Trust – This is a trust that is created within a last will and testament and is often used to leave a gift to a minor child while restricting access until they are old enough to handle it responsibly. Protect a gift from the recipient’s creditors or the recipient’s own worst instincts due to alcohol or drug use, gambling addictions, or irresponsible spending habits.
Special Needs Trust – Help out a family member with physical, intellectual or developmental disabilities who is relying on Medicaid or SSI for living expenses, without jeopardizing their ability to receive these valuable government benefits due to strict income and asset restrictions. Help them to enjoy a better quality of life than they could ever afford without your loving generosity while allowing them to live a full life with the maximum level of independence they are capable of.
Estate Planning for Incapacity in Walpole
The other major focus of estate planning should be on planning for the possibility that you could become physically or mentally incapacitated due to an accident, illness, injury, or age-related diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. If you are unable to communicate with doctors regarding your health care or make responsible legal and financial decisions, someone else will have to make these decisions for you. By planning ahead and creating the right set of documents that include a power of attorney and health care proxy, you make sure decisions are made by people you trust in ways that are tailored to your specific needs. Avoid guardianships, conservatorships, family fights, or decisions that go against your wishes by taking the time now to visit with our Walpole estate planning attorney and make sure all the bases are covered.
Power of Attorney – Give your spouse or adult child the ability to manage your financial affairs if you can’t handle them, even for a temporary period. Make sure your bills get paid, your mortgage is kept up, and that your investments are managed for your benefit even when you can’t handle them personally.
Health Care Proxy – Execute a health care proxy, living will and other health care documents so people in charge of your health care (doctors, hospitals, immediate family members) will know and respect your wishes, including whether you would want surgery or extraordinary life-sustaining measures in the face of a terminal condition, or whether you would prefer to die naturally in comfort when the time comes. Express your wishes through legal documents that healthcare providers will be bound to follow.
Comprehensive Estate Planning in Walpole
For thoughtful and thorough estate planning in Walpole that meets all your needs, including caring for you during your lifetime and managing the contents of your estate after you are gone, call Fisher Law LLC at 781-821-8800 to schedule a consultation with a dedicated and professional Walpole estate planning attorney committed to your needs.
