Wills
Our goal is to capture your wishes within the confines of the legal framework that fits your individual needs and to provide for effective administration of your estate. As the cornerstone of your estate plan, we work with you to draft a Will that effectively expresses your wishes, efficiently functions within the probate process, and places realistic expectations on your executor.
After putting your Will in place, our estate planning process is designed to ensure open and candid communications over time to enable appropriate updates on a regular cadence or as circumstances change. Whenever you want to chat about your estate plan, pick up the phone and let’s talk.
Our goal is to ensure that your Will continues to meet your needs throughout your lifetime.
Laurel Law Blog Articles about Wills
Gifting in your Will
You can structure your gift in different ways to meet your needs. For example, you can make a: Specific Bequest a gift of a specific dollar amount, asset, or percentage of your estate to a specific person or organization. Residual Bequest a gift all or a percentage...
Do You Need Or Want A Revocable Living Trust?
Revocable living trusts are often used to avoid having to open a probate in more than one state. When you own real property in your name (without any provisions for right of survivorship) you are required to seek the assistance of a court to transfer title at death....
Life Insurance
Did you know that the proceeds from your life insurance policy are included in your estate? You can use an irrevocable insurance trust (ILIT) to own your policy and still leave the proceeds to your family without having the funds included in your estate. There are...
Kids and IRAs
Did you know that f you list your three children as your beneficiaries on your IRA and one of your children predeceases you that child’s children may get nothing? Did you know that if you name a minor as a beneficiary, they can’t legally own that IRA? Many parents...
Beneficiary Designations 101
IRA beneficiary designations are a confusing topic to many and it often takes coordinating with your financial advisor, your legal advisor/attorney and your accountant to ensure that your financial legacy passes properly to the next generation. Because IRA...
How To Protect Your Digital Remains
Perhaps you have a plan in place for those who will survive you. You have IRAs, Insurance, a Trust or two, a Will but what about your online life after death? How do protect your privacy and prevent identity theft? 1. Appoint a digital executor – This is a person who...
The Family Cabin
Many families have vacation homes that hold a special place in the family history. Parents often want to leave this home to their children but if there is not a specific plan in place, such a ‘gift’ will end up being a curse. When planning for the transfer of the...
Does my 18-year-old Need a Will?
Your newly minted adult child may or may not need a Will, but they will definitely need a Power of Attorney. Younger adults don't generally have a sizeable estate but upon reaching 18, they all are considered adults and their parents are no longer able to act...
IRAs and Divorce
If you are going through a divorce or legal separation and you or your spouse have money in retirement plans, you will most likely be required to share those assets. IRAs are divided using a process known as “transfer incident to divorce” or QDRO, which allows legal...
