Estate Planning 

A common misconception is that estate plans are primarily for the wealthy.  This could not be further from the truth.  No matter what stage of life you're in or what your economic status is, you need an estate plan. At minimum, every adult should have the following documents:
  • A Will - Dictates the distribution of your assets upon your death.
  • Durable Statutory Power of Attorney - Designates a person to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you are not able.
  • Medical Power of Attorney - Designates a person to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are not able.
  • Directive to Physician - Also known as a "Living Will," a Directive to Physician details a person's desires regarding their medical treatment in circumstances in which they are no longer able to express informed consent.
  • HIPAA Release - A release that allows specified parties to have access to all your necessary medical records and documents.

At our firm, we take the time to carefully review our clients' financial and family situation, and discuss all options for asset protection.  Only after we have a clear picture of your concerns and your wishes do we build your comprehensive estate plan. 

Wills
Even if you have a will, it may not include all of the above documents, or it may be time to update it to reflect your current family situation. So, we encourage you to contact our office to schedule a review of your estate plan.  Please download and complete the questionnaire below, and bring it with you so that we can better assess your situation. 
married_will_questionnaire_2017.pdf
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File Type: pdf
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Power of Attorney Documents
In Texas, you can sign a power of attorney to appoint someone to handle your legal, medical, and financial affairs if you become incapacitated.

You can also appoint a Power of Attorney for Health Care to make health care decisions for you when you’re unable to do so yourself. This person can provide informed consent for treatment, or even refuse treatment for you. In addition, you are able to grant others access to your medical records. 

Revocable 
Living Trust
The Firm is very pleased to be a member of Wealth Counsel; an estate planning resource used in the preparation of estate plans based on the use of revocable living trusts. Trusts enhance an estate plan's flexibility and allows the creator of the trust to provide more specific instructions regarding asset distribution.  Many do not realize how much, or how many, assets they may have.  It is important to ensure you are protecting as much of your net worth as possible. We encourage you to contact our office to discuss whether the use of a trust would best serve your estate planning needs.