It doesn’t matter whether you have a modest home, average income and tiny estate or you’re a multimillionaire planning on passing along a fortunate to your beneficiaries after you pass, legal advice matters. Protecting what you’ve worked so hard your entire life to accumulate is important no matter how much that amount happens to be. An estate planning MA lawyer can help ensure your final wishes are respected by loved ones and the tax collector.
What’s Involved?
A reputable estate planning MA lawyer is going to take some time reviewing your unique circumstances before offering guidance about will establishment or trusts. Some of the items he or she might inquire about include:
- Assets – This topic might include discussions about cash, bonds, stocks, insurance policies, real property, other tangible property items, jewelry and so on. A lawyer will need to know where these items should be distributed upon death and if there are any special instructions to contend with. Depending on the assets and the need to protect them and/or loved ones, a lawyer might recommend nothing more than distribution instructions in a will. It is possible, however, tax benefits could be gained from establishing a trust.
- Beneficiaries – It’s also very important for an estate planning MA lawyer to understand the beneficiaries involved in an estate. If there are minor children, for example, instructions for their care can prove especially important for making sure a will properly reflects final wishes and that children are well cared for. If a trust is recommended, a lawyer may also need to know if any particular beneficiaries should have their money from an estate held in trust.
- Final arrangements – Any final wishes as far as burial instructions and so on are also included in many wills. A lawyer may wish to gain this information to make sure documents cover all the bases.
- Charitable giving – If part of an estate will go to making charity donations, an estate planning MA expert will delve into this while working on documents. Making sure a donation is protected from undo tax burdens is important.
It’s not necessary to have a big, sprawling estate to require guidance from an attorney. An estate planning MA lawyer can ensure that final wishes are respected.
Hiring an estate planning in MA lawyer is a big step.
