If you haven’t written a will yet, you’re not alone. Thousands of Missourians likely haven’t thought about a will or other estate planning. Some people may think they have plenty of time to think about wills, trusts, and retirement, while others don’t think they have enough money to warrant an estate plan. However, an estate plan covers a lot more than just a will. If you have minor children, your estate plan can designate a guardian for them. Or, your estate plan can include advanced directives, naming someone to manage your finances or making healthcare decisions on your behalf should you be unable to advocate for yourself.
At Legacy Law Center, we personally evaluate your current financial situation, goals, and obligations, such as providing for a spouse or minor children. Then, a Chesterfield, MO, estate planning lawyer explains the different legal protections you can establish to protect yourself and your loved ones and provide for retirement or end-of-life care. Call us today to get started—you don’t know what the future can bring.
What Does A Chesterfield Estate Planning Lawyer Do?
Everything you own, from the money in your bank account to your house, vehicles, jewelry, and retirement investments, constitutes your estate. Estate planning involves the transfer of your assets to your heirs after you pass away, legally reassigning ownership. It’s much more than that. However, An estate plan can also include a trust, which protects assets from creditors while allowing you to still benefit from them, a guardianship for your children if both parents pass away, and even planning for Medicaid and making sure that you have enough money to last through the end of your life.
An estate planning attorney works with you to develop the right set of legal documents to protect yourself, preserve as much of your assets as possible by avoiding estate taxes, and can even help you with retirement planning. We evaluate where you are now and what you need to protect, then develop the right plan for you. We can also revise an existing will or estate plan if your life situations change after a divorce, the death of the spouse, or a remarriage.
Planning For Anything The Future Holds
Estate planning includes many important protections. You can establish a guardian for your minor children or an adult with special needs, selecting the person you want to raise your child instead of their closest kin. Your estate plan also protects you. Your estate planning attorney can draft a power of attorney for you, someone you trust to manage your finances if you’re incapacitated or make health care decisions should you be unable to advocate for yourself.
You could also create a trust, which can preserve certain assets and protect them from creditors or keep them in the family. A trust can also provide you with a steady stream of income when you’re retired, so you know you’re taken care of towards the end of life.
Face The Future Confidently With A Professional Estate Plan
Estate planning is for everyone—not just the very wealthy. Let the attorneys at Legacy Law Center develop the right legal protections for you and your family. Contact us today to get started so you can feel more secure knowing that you’re protected even if the unthinkable happens.
