Wills & Trusts are legal instruments that are a necessary part of estate planning.

Willa are a formal legal document which is witnessed and signed by a person who is at least eighteen years old, of sound mind, and under no undue influence at the time of signing the Will.

With Wills, you can decide exactly how you want your property to be distributed upon your death and in what proportions. You can choose any number of recipients of your property, whether they be family members, friends, or charities.

In a Will, you can designate a guardian for your minor children, decide who will be the individual in charge of administering your estate (the Personal Representative), & determine how final expenses and taxes are paid. Also, you can decide whether or not the court should supervise the administration of your estate.

Trusts, both revocable and irrevocable, allow you to decide when, to whom and how the assets of the trust shall be passed.  A revocable trust allows you to maintain control of the trust and it’s assets, while an irrevocable trust may not be altered by the grantor after it has been executed.  It’s also a way to potentially lower estate taxes.

Each person’s situation is unique and needs the expert advice of an attorney to assist you in making these decisions.