Estate Planning

Estate Planning Lawyers

Don’t underestimate the value of a good estate plan

You’ve worked your entire life attaining the most basic assets—your home, cars, bank accounts, financial portfolio, retirement accounts—assets that may be substantially taxed without proper estate planning. Recent increases in real estate have significantly increased “estate” values, pushing many clients into a potential estate tax liability which in most cases can be minimized or avoided with proper planning. It may be time to consider an estate plan.

Estate plans are not only for the ultra-wealthy

Estate plans are often thought of as the tools for multi-millionaires. However, upon your death, current federal estate tax laws could impose sizeable estate taxes if your estate meets certain criteria. A good estate plan protects your assets, allowing your accumulated wealth to pass through to your heirs. Grad, Logan & Klewans, P.C. provides valuable estate planning services for estates large and small.

When our office is contacted regarding preparation of a will, trust or other estate planning documents, we send out a confidential questionnaire and schedule an appointment. The initial comprehensive appointment usually lasts between one and two hours. At the end of the first meeting, we give you our recommendations regarding which documents best meet your estate planning needs and the cost estimate for preparing those items. If, at the end of the first meeting, you decide that you do not want to retain our estate planning services, there is no charge for the first meeting. Estate planning fees are based on the complexity of the documents and the fee is generally a set fee and not based on an hourly rate. At the end of the first meeting, you will be provided with a cost estimate based upon the gathered data.

In most cases, we recommend that you have a will, a power of attorney, and an advanced medical directive. In many cases, we will also recommend the use of a revocable trust, which is also known as a living trust or grantor trust. The reasons for having these documents are explained in detail during the first meeting. We will also discuss estate planning needs with you if you or your spouse is a non-U.S. citizen.

Please contact Michael P. Logan regarding your estate planning needs.