Friday 25 October 2013

An Estate Attorney Salt Lake City Will Provide Expert Guidance

By Kelly Wood


Estate planning is a serious undertaking where a missing signature or wrong word may affect the outcome. A skilled estate attorney Salt Lake City is a form of insurance. To prevent rude surprises in future, expert advice is a necessary antidote.

Every person who possesses property should provide legally valid written instructions for their disposal. The cost for preparing a simple will is not unaffordable. Anyone with a little property should consider this option. State laws can be very specific about what may or may not be contained in estate documents. A will is needed if you have a spouse and children. There may be no such thing as a perfect estate plan, since all contingencies cannot be planned for. But, if major concerns are addressed, most loose ends are accounted in the process.

Legal counsel is necessary when there is an existing business or partnership. If there are special issues at stake, tax planning is required and detailed instructions are required, any expense will be worth the price. Attorney fees are often paid for by tax savings achieved with professional help. You should consider expert counsel if your estate, and anything expected as inheritance from others, is more than 500,000 dollars. If there is potential for conflict among heirs or any heir may have trouble managing personal affairs, professional guidance is a valuable resource.

Any unusual circumstance requires special consideration. A professional consultant brings experience to bear on each assignment. A skillful lawyer is able to improve planning. Properly drafted legal documents are free of ambiguous language. There will little chance such preparations may be overturned due to fraud, forgery or undue influence. It is the job of an adviser to highlight additional considerations and alternative factors that a client may otherwise overlook. Professional support demystifies complex issues.

An experienced attorney will let you know if you should consider a trust fund instead of a will to provide for heirs. If you have substantial assets, careful preparation is needed to mitigate the potential tax burden. Planning ahead regarding what you will leave, to whom, and how, can reduce the tax amount. For instance, living persons may gift assets up to 13,000 dollars per year and still avoid gift taxes under IRS guidelines.

Available specialists can also help clients draft healthcare proxies and living wills. A healthcare proxy is a Power of Attorney that becomes useful when hospitalization occurs and patients are unable to communicate. A trained lawyer knows what information must be included in such a document. A living will takes care of less transient events. This document makes doctors and family aware of personal wishes under special circumstances. It takes effect when certain conditions occur. Adults of all ages would benefit by preparing these devices.

Planning may change over time as personal circumstances alter. Major changes such as job loss, marriage, birth, divorce, changes in health are potential reasons for revision. Changes in state or federal laws may also require revisions.

The more complicated a situation, the more advisable it is to seek professional support. Being able to cover as many eventualities as possible brings peace of mind about the future. The alternative is a messy process. A qualified estate attorney Salt Lake City is available for consultation.




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