Palm Coast Estate Planning Attorney
Estate planning ensures that your loved ones are taken care of in the event of your death. This form of long-term planning can also provide your loved ones with clarity and guidance if you become incapacitated. If you are preparing to draft your will or create trusts, a Palm Coast estate planning lawyer can help. Estate planning can be a daunting task, and a trusted attorney can explain your options to ensure your estate planning addresses your goals in life.
A Trusted Estate Planning Firm Serving Palm Coast
The decisions you make regarding the future of your estate can have profound implications for your loved ones when you pass. Many people make the mistake of waiting too long to plan how their estate will be settled after their death. Estate planning should begin early in life. With legal guidance, your will, trusts, and other documents can be periodically updated as your estate grows and your goals evolve.
The Preston Law Firm has been in the estate planning business for more than 44 years. Our legal team has more than five decades of combined experience, and we have helped thousands of clients plan for the future with confidence. We take pride in delivering compassionate and personalized estate planning services to families in Palm Coast.
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Why Estate Planning Is Essential for Your Future
One misconception about estate planning is that financial planning tools are only for the wealthy. The truth is that anyone who wants to have control over their assets while they are alive and see that their estate is divided according to their wishes after their death can benefit from estate planning.
Estate planning does more than direct the distribution of wealth. It ensures that your loved ones are provided for after your death. Without proper estate planning, your loved ones could be left at the mercy of the probate courts or forced to hire attorneys to decide who has the right to inherit your properties and assets. Regardless of the size of your estate, an estate plan can provide you and your family with financial security and peace of mind.
Key Estate Planning Tools: Wills, Trusts, and More
An estate planning attorney in Palm Coast can prepare important legal documents that guide and manage your finances while you are alive and after your death. One of the most important foundational legal documents for an estate plan is the will. A will outlines how assets should be distributed after your death. They can also designate guardians for minor children.
Trusts are an important financial instrument that can help your family avoid probate. Depending on the type of trust you create with the help of an attorney, a trust can also protect your assets during your lifetime. Trusts can also distribute funds according to your wishes. One example would be a trust that pays set monthly payments to a descendant or a charitable organization.
A living will ensures your medical wishes are honored if you are incapacitated or undergoing end-of-life care. Estate planning can include a comprehensive consideration of your life insurance policies and retirement accounts.
How a Palm Coast Estate Planning Lawyer Can Help
An estate planning attorney can ensure that all of your estate planning tools comply with Florida law. If your goal is to reduce your tax liabilities, your attorney can help you manage your estate with that goal in mind.
As major life changes occur, your plans can be modified and updated. Estate planning can establish special trusts for minors and dependents. By working with an estate planning attorney, you can demonstrate to your family that their future is secure.
FAQs
A: An estate planning attorney typically charges a flat fee or by the hour. Basic estate planning tasks like drafting a will may require considerable time on the part of an attorney. Those services may come at an affordable set rate. More comprehensive estate planning may require an attorney to spend considerable time and resources. Once most of the estate planning is completed, managing your estate may only require minor updates by your attorney.
A: The five-by-five rule refers to a provision in trusts that allows a beneficiary to withdraw the greater of $5,000 or 5% of the trust’s principal annually without triggering adverse tax consequences of violating the terms of the trust. This rule helps provide beneficiaries with financial flexibility while maintaining long-term asset protection.
A: An estate planning attorney helps individuals create wills, trusts, and other legal documents to plan for asset distribution and avoid probate. A probate attorney, on the other hand, assists with administering estates after someone passes away, guiding executors through the probate process, resolving disputes, and ensuring assets are properly distributed according to the law.
A: The most important step in estate planning is simply to begin the process by meeting with an experienced estate planning lawyer who can listen to your goals and advise you on which estate planning tools can help you achieve your goals. The foundational document of an estate is the will, so your attorney may suggest you begin by creating your will before you establish trusts and other estate planning tools.
Schedule Your Estate Planning Consultation Today
Estate planning is important for anyone who wants to provide for their loved ones and protect their assets after their death. Regardless of your age or the size of your estate, The Preston Law Firm welcomes you to meet with one of our attorneys to see how estate planning can help you reach your goals.
Estate planning can provide important benefits while you are alive and ensure your loved ones are provided for after your death. To learn how we can help you reach your goals, contact our office today to schedule your estate planning consultation.