A good estate plan enables you to control how your assets are distributed and avoid the costly legal probate process. It also gives you peace of mind that your family will be taken care of in the event of your death or disability.

The Atlanta estate planning attorneys at Siedentopf Law can help you make this process as seamless and efficient as possible for your loved ones. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Wills

Estate planning lawyers work with clients to protect their current assets and plan for the future. This includes drafting wills, setting up trusts and creating advance directives, such as healthcare powers of attorney, that ensure their wishes are carried out after their death.

Wills can be complex and require expertise. Fortunately, at Jones & Walden LLC, we have experience using a variety of estate planning tools to help Georgia residents make smart decisions about their estates.

Depending on your circumstances, a will may be the most effective way to express your desires. It can also protect against challenges to your will by family members or business associates after your death.

Wills are typically written and signed in the presence of witnesses. They vary by state but the most common type is called a testamentary will. The most effective protection against challenges to your wishes is a will written by an experienced estate attorney.

Trusts

Trusts are a special type of legal document that can help you preserve and manage your assets, while protecting the interests of your loved ones. The right lawyer can help you create a trust that fits your specific needs and goals.

The lawyers at Atlanta Estate Attorneys have the experience to create trusts that meet your personal goals. They can also discuss with you the pros and cons of different types of trusts, and assist you in choosing one that will work best for you.

A trust can also prevent probate, which is the court process required to distribute assets after death. The trustee of a trust is responsible for managing and distributing the trust assets to beneficiaries. The trustee must follow the instructions in the trust documents describing how and when to distribute the trust assets, and who receives the money or property.

Healthcare Power of Attorney

A healthcare power of attorney is a document that allows someone you trust to make medical decisions for you. The document also specifies how you want your agent to act when making those decisions, including your preferences for end-of-life care.

An experienced estate lawyer can help you understand the legal importance of these documents and ensure your health care wishes are respected if you become incompetent. Without this type of advance planning, your loved ones may be left with difficult decisions during an emotional time and with no way to know what you would have wanted.

Georgia law recognizes both living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care. However, the state has recently introduced a new law that merges both of these into a single form called a “Advance Directive for Healthcare.” This will allow you to communicate your specific wishes for end-of-life treatment in the event you cannot speak for yourself.

Advance Directives

Advance directives are a critical tool to ensure that your wishes are known and followed in case you become incapacitated. They are also important for anyone who wants to protect his or her personal information and preferences in case of illness or injury.

An Atlanta Advance Directive Attorney can help you draft a document that allows you to name an agent and designate a successor, also known as an “alternate,” who will make decisions on your behalf if you cannot make them yourself. You can then choose whether your agent can make those decisions immediately or only if a medical doctor certifies that you are incompetent.

Advance directives are a critical part of estate planning because they allow you to tell your doctor and loved ones what type of care you want in the event that you are no longer able to make those decisions yourself. An attorney can assist you in making sure that your advance directives are effective and that they are properly communicated to everyone who needs to know about them.

Additional:

• 4 Reasons Estate Planning Is So Important
• 5 Things To Know Before Hiring An Estate Planning Attorney
• 5 Differences Between Will Planning And Estate Planning