ESTATE PLANNING
For those individuals concerned about the disposition of their assets upon death, the prospect of preparing an estate plan can be overwhelming. The lawyers at Bell & Izzi, LLC utilize their combined 45 years of legal experience to sensitively and thoroughly assist their clients in ensuring that their wishes are carried out after they are gone. We engage in personal, in-depth consultations with our clients in order to gain a complete understanding of our clients’ goals and intentions that ultimately form the basis for the preparation of a comprehensive estate plan.
Although most estate plans contain similar documents: Last Will and Testament; Health Care Proxy; Durable Power of Attorney and in many cases a Trust (Revocable or Irrevocable), it is important to note that the content of the well prepared estate plan may be as diverse as the clients for whom the plan is prepared. For some, a simple plan will be sufficient to ensure that their assets are distributed in accordance with their wishes. For others, there will be a need to determine whether guardianship of minor children will be a necessary consideration. For many clients, analysis must be undertaken to determine whether guardianship or conservatorship of an adult or care for a child with special needs will mandate that more complex, sophisticated planning be undertaken, including the establishment of so-called “Special Needs Trusts”.
As an example, after successfully resolving litigation involving a traumatic brain injury for a client and her family, our firm prepared and implemented a unique Special Needs Trust which provides for financial oversight during our client’s life and protection of her assets from governmental intrusion.
Also, end of life planning is a difficult topic for many, but pre-planning can make dealing with medical care decisions less traumatic and can protect family assets from unnecessary depletion by an elder care system which threatens to bankrupt the middle class. Our firm has successfully helped hundreds of families through both of theses dilemmas.
In every aspect of our estate planning practice, Bell & Izzi, LLC is committed to a thorough and complete analysis of the estate planning issues facing our clients and to the efficient preparation and implementation of a comprehensive estate plan which meets our clients’ personal objectives.
How to Avoid Probate?
What is a Will?
What is Guardianship or Conservatorship?
