YOUR HOMETOWN ATTORNEY LEGACY PLANS - Raising The Syandard For Estate Planning In Georgia
As Your Hometown Attorney, I am often visited by families overwhelmed with the loss of their loved ones and trying to navigate the process of handling their loved one’s final affairs. Some common quotes and questions we hear during our Informational and Planning Session or during follow-up calls and meetings have included:
“Dad never would have wanted ______ to receive anything.”
“I wish I knew what mom would have wanted before she couldn’t tell me anymore. The doctors want an answer, but I don’t know.”
“Why didn’t he just make a will so we wouldn’t have to go through this?”
“I need to get my Estate Plan done so my kids don’t have to do all this.”
“What can I do to prevent my children from having to go through all this?”
“Is there anything they could have done that would have minimized the fighting?”
It was my years in representing probate estates that began spinning the wheels in considering adding Estate Planning to my firm. Answering these questions time and time again and seeing the fallout among families when their loved ones did not have properly planned for and drafted powers of attorney and will(s) and/or trust(s), inspired me to educate myself as much as I could so that I could provide my clients with a confident understanding of not only costs and processes, but help them navigate the important decisions about agents, their care, their finances, and the distribution of their legacies.
Many times people rush to get the documents “done,” and don’t take the time to understand or consider the effects on the people they name or the decisions they have written in their estate planning documents. Lots of times people think having the power of attorney is enough, not realizing that those “powers” end at death. Have you thought about the possibilities of birth? Divorce? Your children’s creditors making claims? A child with special needs or addiction issues? Do you own real estate or a business? A hastily drafted power of attorney or by someone who fails to bring these questions up usually results in litigation, which causes stressful delays and exorbitant costs for everyone involved and usually at a time when “time is of the essence.”
When you decide to use Your Hometown Attorney for your Estate Planning needs, you’re choosing an investment in not only your peace of mind, but the peace of mind of your loved ones. When you join me for your Informational and Planning Meeting, you are going to be educated in all your options for your Estate Plan - from POAs, to HIPAAs, to Wills and Trusts. You will be informed about the current probate processes and costs your loved ones may face depending on the options you choose for your plan. I will help guide you through choosing the best options for each portion of your plan based on the information you share with me about your unique life circumstances and desires.
We’re not just a paper-pushing law firm. We believe in establishing relationships with our clients and getting to know them and their family dynamics. It’s those relationships that are the foundation upon which the entire Estate Plan is built. It’s the care, planning, and personalized attention that differentiates a Your Hometown Attorney Legacy Plan and a standard document you would receive from a non-Estate Planning attorney or an online legal form producer. In addition to meeting with you to design, draft, and execute your plan, we also offer “Legacy Meetings,” at no extra cost to you, where we explain your plan to your loved ones at the time chosen by you.
Your Hometown Attorney Legacy Plan documents reflect your personalized needs, situations, desires, and family dynamics - going far beyond the standard language in many wills and powers of attorney. We ask you the questions and help you plan for situations you may not consider asking about. We don’t just offer documents. We offer a fully customized and well-considered plan that you can trust and your family can rely on. An Estate Plan isn’t just a power of attorney or a “simple will,” it is a full set of documents that you need to protect you, your loved ones, and your legacy throughout your life and after you’ve passed.
If you’re ready to begin preserving your legacy and giving your loved ones some peace of mind, contact us today at 706-359-3332.