As an estate planning attorney, I've found that the New Year offers the perfect opportunity to help my clients secure their family's future. Many of my clients use this time to reflect on their goals and ensure their estate plans align with their current circumstances.
Are you in a same-sex relationship? Are you married or domestic partners? Have you and your same-sex partner talked to an estate planning attorney, or even given estate planning a second thought? If not, you need to consider doing so sooner rather than later, not only to protect your partner, but to protect yourself as well.Each state provides a default estate plan if you fail to plan your estate. This default estate plan comes in a one-size-fits-all rule for what happens to your property [...]
Are you in an unmarried same-sex domestic partnership? Have you and your partner created a will, consulted an estate planning attorney, or even considered estate planning? If not, it’s crucial to start sooner rather than later. Proper planning protects both you and your partner.
Proper estate planning by the LGBTQ community will protect assets and make sure medical and financial decisions are made by the right person.
Given the complexities of most estate plans, you’ll want to work with a qualified estate planning attorney. You may also find it helpful to work with other professionals, such as a financial planner, an insurance agent, or an accountant. But your attorney should always be the one who prepares your estate planning documents.
Should you create a last will or a living trust? In determining if you should create a last will or a living trust, it is important to understand what happens after you pass away, including the legal considerations, the role of your executor, and the distribution of your specific assets.
A document that I often prepare for my clients as an essential part of their estate plan is the Advance Health Care Directive. This document is important so your wishes regarding medical decisions and end-of-life decisions will be known to your loved ones and medical providers.
A durable power of attorney allows your property and financial affairs to be managed the way you want in the event you become incapacitated.
A pourover will is a will used in connection with a trust. A pourover will is like any other will, except that the primary beneficiary is your living trust.
Proper estate planning by an attorney who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community ensures you are working with someone who understands your unique needs. Ensuring your assets will go to who you want, your estate is managed by the person of your choice, and in the event you are incapacitated, your medical decision and financial matters are handled by the person you want, is essential to protecting yourself as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.