Creating a comprehensive estate plan can help ensure that your desires and needs are met, even if you cannot issue statements about your desires on your own. If you’re ready to start planning for your needs, a Port Hueneme estate planning attorney can help you determine your next steps to ensure that those needs are met.
An estate plan details the distribution of your assets following your death and lays out any final wishes you may have. It may also include protection and care arrangements in the event you are unable due to incapacity or death for minor children and an outline of your medical wishes in the event of an emergency. An estate plan offers a legally binding way to make your wishes clear in cases—including death or serious illness—where you might not be able to make those desires clear for yourself.
Anyone who has assets that they want to distribute formally after their death should consider the importance of an estate plan. You should also create a comprehensive estate plan if:
If you have questions about how you might benefit from an estate plan, talk to a Port Hueneme estate planning lawyer to learn more about your specific situation.
Estate planning documents may depend on the specific concerns you have and the assets you need to distribute. Your planning may include all of these documents or may include only the ones that are relevant to you and your needs.
Your estate planning lawyer may also help you create trusts that will help protect your assets and pass them on to your heirs according to your wishes.
An estate planning attorney can offer vital assistance as you create and manage your estate plan. A Port Hueneme estate planning lawyer may:
If you have questions about your estate plan and how Santa Barbara Estate Planning & Elder Law can help, contact us today for more information.
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Creating an estate plan, including a will, can make processing your assets and managing your final needs much easier for your family. Even if you do not have considerable assets to pass on, you may want to designate what assets you do have and determine how they will be handled. Otherwise, the State of California has a plan for you — and it is called probate. Under probate laws, your assets may be distributed to people you never intended. Furthermore, you may want to carefully consider things like guardianship of minor children or healthcare planning.
A Will is only one ingredient of a solid estate plan and requires a probate proceeding with court approval prior to your assets being distributed to your named beneficiaries. An estate plan contemplates more than what happens when you die, An estate plan also concerns what happens if you live. It’s like a recipe for life, which includes other ingredients depending upon your tastes. It may also include a designation for guardianship of your minor children. An estate plan, on the other hand, takes all of your needs and desires into consideration, including concerns like healthcare power of attorney and legal power of attorney, which will allow a loved one to act on your behalf if you are incapacitated for any reason.
You may need to revisit your estate plan regularly in order to ensure that it continues to meet your wishes and your needs. You should revisit your estate plan when: