Estate Planning Lawyer Sarasota, Florida

Why Is Estate Planning Important?

A lot of people think that having an estate plan is only for people who have a lot of resources and property they need to take care of at the end of life. The truth is that a lot more people need to have an estate plan than that and that having an estate plan is one of the best things you can do to make sure you and your family are protected. 

For one thing, having an estate plan helps avoid fighting and uncertainty toward the end of life, especially if you need to go into care or aren’t able to express your wishes in person. 

Estate plans also make sure any money or property included in your estate is used according to your beliefs and wishes. 

Want to contribute some property or a portion of your wealth to a charitable organization – or perhaps create a trust to be used in specific ways in the future? Your family might know about your wishes, but not the details of what property or wealth you wanted to give away. 

Worse, without an estate plan, including documents like your will, the executor of your estate might not follow your wishes, or may not know the details of your plans well enough to follow them. 

Having an estate plan helps prevent interpersonal conflicts between family members when it comes to your remaining wealth, property, and possessions as well. Conversations between family members might give them some idea of your wishes, but a good estate plan will tell them exactly what you wanted to be done with your possessions. 

Almost everyone should have at least some of the components in an estate plan, like a will, in order to offer their friends and family some guidance on what they wanted. 

But if you have a property in your name, including vehicles or a house, outstanding debts or wealth in your bank accounts, intellectual property, stocks, and bonds, or anything else that will need to be handled after your passing, an estate plan is a good idea. 

That means almost all homeowners, artists and authors, investors, should have an estate plan. In fact, almost everyone can benefit from at least some level of estate planning, either to plan how to handle your estate after your passing or to help protect your assets as you transition into retirement. 

Having an estate planning attorney in Sarasota, Florida isn’t always necessary to file the necessary paperwork, but it does offer some benefits. 

For one thing, your attorney can advise you on the language to use, the different kinds of documents to create, and what is an enforceable or unenforceable provision in your estate plan. That guidance is invaluable in creating an estate plan that’s useful and useable. 

Additionally, having an estate planning law office in Sarasota, Florida on your side will help make sure the documents are properly filed and available when they are needed. Disputes over different versions of your will can be easily resolved by your attorney, where they might otherwise cause confusion and pain for your loved ones. 

In truth, your estate planning lawyer is there to make the process as painless and effective as possible, not just for you, but for everyone handling your estate or named in your will. 

There are a lot of different things that can go into a comprehensive estate plan. While not every estate plan needs every possible document or plan, knowing how to use each document will help you make a better and more enforceable estate plan. 

Here’s what the Law Offices of Mary King, P.L. can help you prepare: 

• Estate Law
• Drafting/Filing/Updating Your Will
• Creating a Trust
• Pet Trusts

Let’s go into a little more detail about each of these services and why it’s important to have an estate planning attorney in Sarasota, Florida that can help you with them.

Estate Law:

Understanding how estates work, what is potentially taxable, and how you can dispose of various portions of your estate can be complicated. Trust your attorney to know the details, research and resolve any problems, and offer good advice on how to manage your estate. 

Drafting, Filing, and Updating Your Will:

Your Last Will And Testament is one of the most important documents in your estate, and it’s also important to keep it as up-to-date as possible as situations in your life shift and change over time. 

Having an will attorney make sure your will is enforceable, easily available, and updated to reflect your latest wishes will help avoid confusion, especially if you have to change the details of your will several times throughout your life. 

Creating A Trust:

Trusts can be used to provide income for your descendants, to protect money until inheritors reach a certain age, to create scholarships, and much more. Your attorney will be able to help you decide if a trust is a good option for your wishes, and help you create a legal trust that will do exactly what you want it to. 

Pet Trusts:

These trusts ensure the continued care and well-being of your pets in the event of your incapacity or passing. A Pet Trust allows you to allocate funds, designate caregivers, and provide specific care instructions, ensuring your pets maintain a comfortable life. With our guidance, your pets’ future will be secured, reflecting your dedication to their lifelong care.

It’s never too soon to start estate planning or to create a will and testament. If you’re ready to learn more about your options or to create an estate plan, contact the Law Office of Mary King, P.L., and set up an appointment. We’ll be happy to go over your options and talk about your wishes and how we can protect them, together.