Gonzales Estate Planning Lawyer

Gonzales Estate Planning Attorney

An estate plan is a series of documents that outline your estate, your personal care and well-being, and the plans for your estate after your death. The process of estate planning is complex in any state, but is especially unusual and complicated in Louisiana. If you are creating an estate plan, a Gonzales estate planning lawyer can help you navigate these legal requirements and help you draft an effective estate plan.

Many people put off creating an estate plan. They may believe they don’t need one at their age or with their assets, or they may not want to think about the difficult subjects that go along with an estate plan, like disability and death. It is incredibly important to make an estate plan, saving your loved ones time and money and giving you more certainty about your end-of-life care.

Personalized Estate Planning Strategies With Rowe & Manning Law Firm LLC

The attorneys at Rowe & Manning Law Firm LLC have spent more than 15 years supporting families and individuals throughout the communities we serve, and we have years of experience in estate planning law. We take the time to talk through your goals for an estate plan and help you understand what an estate plan can do for you. Based on your needs, we help you outline an estate planning strategy and compile the right documents.

Whether your estate. is straightforward or complex, our firm can help you protect your future and the future of your loved ones.

The Basics of Estate Planning

An estate plan can be tailored to your priorities and goals and include several different documents. Some of the most common documents include a last will and testament and trusts. Twenty-four percent of Americans have a will, while approximately 13% have a living trust. When you do not have any estate planning documents, you have no control over the distribution and settlement of your estate.

The most common estate planning documents in a comprehensive estate plan include:

• A will. A last will and testament outlines several basic things, including the executor of your estate, the settlement of debts, the distribution of assets, and the preferred guardian for any minor children. Without other estate planning tools, a will, and the estate will pass through the succession process. If there is no valid will, then an executor will be appointed by the court, and the estate will be divided based on state laws.
• A trust. Including one or multiple trusts in your estate plan gives you more control over the distribution of your estate. A trust can hold assets until specific terms are met, such as a beneficiary using the assets to pay for specific things or the beneficiary reaching a certain age. Assets held in a trust can also avoid succession, which limits time, cost, and stress for loved ones. A trust could also protect assets from creditors.
• Power of attorney. If you are incapacitated in any way that prevents you from managing your own affairs, this can lead to complex issues for your loved ones. Power of attorney documents allow you to put someone else in charge of those affairs. By creating a durable power of attorney, these individuals have this power when you cannot make choices for yourself.While no one wants to think about being incapacitated, there are many potential causes of serious disability, which could include incapacitation. In workplace accidents, the leading causes of disabling injuries were overexertion and contact with equipment or other objects. Accidents, illnesses, and age can lead to incapacitation.A durable power of attorney can give your loved ones the ability to make financial, medical, and legal decisions for you without needing to petition the court for that power.
• Healthcare directives. These directives list your preferences for medical care if you are incapacitated. This can give you peace of mind about these situations and provide your medical power of attorney with guidelines.

If you have to file for succession for someone who has passed, their estate planning documents must be submitted to the court, along with other documentation. If the person lived or died in Gonzales, then succession will be handled by the Ascension Parish Courthouse on Worthey Street, operated by the 23rd Judicial District Court.

FAQs About Estate Planning in Gonzales,LA

What Is the Average Fee for an Estate Planning Attorney?

Different estate planning attorneys have different fees, which depend on their experience and the type of legal service you need. If you are working with an attorney to review a draft of your estate plan, this may be a flat fee. If you are working with an attorney to inventory your assets and debts, create a will, establish a trust, and complete other objectives, the attorney may charge an hourly fee. Discuss costs with an attorney up front.

What Are the Seven Steps in the Estate Planning Process?

Each person’s estate planning process may be different, but there are seven important steps:

1. You need to gather your asset and debt information.
2. You need to determine your goals for an estate plan.
3. You need to create a will and other estate planning documents.
4. You need to name the beneficiaries of your estate and those in charge of the administration of your estate.
5. You need to make a plan for incapacity, including health care directives and a power of attorney.
6. You need to review your estate plan with a legal professional.
7. You need to update your estate plan after significant life changes.

What Important Document Is Needed for Estate Planning?

The most basic estate plan has a last will and testament as its most important document, and a more comprehensive estate plan uses the will as a foundational document. A will lists basic information about your estate and its assets, as well as the care of any minor children. There are other documents that are useful in a complete estate plan, such as one or more trusts, a durable power of attorney, and advanced healthcare directives.

What Happens if You Don’t Do Estate Planning?

If you don’t have an estate plan, the assets in your estate are distributed based on the state’s intestate inheritance laws, and the court appoints someone to oversee the process. You have no control over who inherits your assets or how your debts are paid. When you have an estate plan, you can choose who administers the estate, who benefits from it, and even prevent the estate from entering the court process of succession.

Work With Our Firm to Take Control of Your Future

Effective estate planning provides stability for you and for your family. Contact the Rowe & Manning Law Firm LLC to see how we can help you navigate the creation of an estate plan.