ALBANY, N.Y. (April 30, 2021) – While 2020 brought us uncertainty and unexpected circumstances, it led us to better understand why planning and preparing for the future ahead became more important than ever. Don’t leave your family members to deal with your assets, estate, and financial matters alone; plan ahead for the inevitable and establish an estate plan that leaves your family with less stress and more time to enjoy the memories they have of you.

Have you properly developed an estate plan for you and your loved ones?

TLF’s estate planning attorneys can provide you with guided, reliable, and trustworthy service to help you feel more secure during these unprecedented times. Follow our checklist below to see if you are prepared. If not, don’t worry,  TLF’s leading Estate Planning Attorney, John A. Musacchio can help you develop a solid estate plan and keep you and your family prepared for the future.

ASSETS

You may want to arrange for some assets that you own, which have title documents, to be automatically passed to a co-owner. Typically, this may be your spouse or other family member. There are some assets in which you may not want to give current ownership rights to someone else. If so, you may be able to designate someone to acquire these assets at the time of your death, as a beneficiary.

FINANCIAL

Assure your loved ones are covered and provided for in the event of your death. In order to make certain that your debts, expenses, and other financial obligations are paid should you pass or become disabled, you should be enrolled in various insurance plans like homeowners, disability, auto, and life insurance. You should consult with an experienced attorney to determine whether certain debts have a legal obligation to be paid.

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

If you have any property that must be probated, a last will and testament will help to take care of this. If anything hasn’t already been handled through co-ownership or designated to a beneficiary, then you can appoint someone that you trust as the executor of your estate. If you have minor or disabled children, you can also appoint someone to be the guardian or conservator of them and their property. You can also specify funeral, burial, and cremation wishes in your will.

REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST

Revocable at any time, a living trust can provide you with an alternative to asset and property distribution to avoid probate and minimize estate taxes. This strategy often works well for those who have a large estate or many beneficiaries.

IRREVOCABLE TRUST

In addition to the achieving many of the same goals as a revocable living trust, an irrevocable trust has the added benefit of helping to preserve your assets in the event you need nursing home care or long-term care in your own home.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

You can declare someone you trust as your agent under a power of attorney to make financial decisions on your behalf.

HEALTHCARE PROXY AND LIVING WILL

Should an unfortunate event occur where you become terminally ill or disabled and unable to communicate, a healthcare proxy and a living can be used to communicate your wishes for the types of life-prolonging treatments or procedures you wish to pursue, or not pursue.

Our attorneys approach estate planning and trusts as a collaboration with our clients, providing sound guidance to give them the confidence to be full participants in their choices.

Contact Us Today to Plan Ahead for the Future -> info@townelaw.com or Call (518) 452-1800.

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