Trusts, Wills & More
The experts in
Customized Estate Planning
At Legacy Trust & Wills, we believe everyone deserves a quality estate plan. Our experienced attorneys are dedicated to taking the mystery and complexity out of estate planning for you.
We make the process:
Comprehensive
We provide a comprehensive solution to meet your needs. Your plan includes a range of essential elements, including a Revocable Trust, Durable Power of Attorney, Healthcare Proxy, and Living Will.
Personalized
Our experienced attorneys create documents tailored to your needs, goals and priorities. So you can have confidence in the protection they provide.
Local
Legacy Trust & Wills is a service of Craig, Deachman & Associates PLLC, a highly respected law firm in Manchester, New Hampshire, serving local families and businesses since 1929.
All Encompassing
Estate Planning Package
At Legacy Trust & Wills, we combine decades of legal expertise with advanced technology to deliver an estate plan tailored to your needs. Our team of experienced estate lawyers provide a comprehensive plan to ensure your legacy will benefit and protect your loved ones.
We believe strongly that the greatest benefit comes from a comprehensive, integrated plan that goes beyond trust or wills, to encompass a variety of additional protections. Our estate planning service includes the following important elements:
Durable Power of Attorney
A Durable Power of Attorney is used for incapacity planning. This document appoints an agent who can act on your behalf with regard to financial matters. If you become ill or are unable to make decisions, your agent can access your bank account, deal with your mortgage company, and help guide your financial affairs until you.
Should you recover from your incapacitation, you will resume control over your assets. Note that the Durable Power of Attorney does not authorize your agent to make decisions regarding your healthcare- that power is covered by the Healthcare Proxy, also included in your Legacy Trust & Wills plan.
Pour-over Will
Because your estate plan will be based on a trust, we create a will– called a Pour-Over Will– that is only designed to cover property inadvertently left out of the trust. This includes unlikely events, such as an unexpected inheritance not yet added the trust at the time of your death.
As the name suggests, a Pour-over Will directs items left out of the trust to be “poured over” into the trust at your death. While a Pour-over Will may never be used, it is a good document to have in place as a safety net. At Legacy Trust & Wills, we believe it is an important component of a comprehensive trust and wills plan.
Healthcare Proxy
Also called Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, the Healthcare Proxy is as important as any other instrument in your estate plan. This document lets you appoint an agent, usually a relative or close friend, to make healthcare decisions if you are unable to make them on your own.
Should you recover from your incapacitation, you will resume the ability to make decisions about your care. Your Healthcare Proxy is a crucial element in your plan, ensuring decisions about your care are made by someone you know and trust. Discussing your wishes with your appointed agent is recommended so they understand your priorities and concerns.
Living Will
The Living Will enables you to make decisions about the care you receive at the end of life. Many people dread being hooked up to machines when there is no chance they will ever recover. The Living Will tells your healthcare providers and your agent what your wishes are, allowing you to pass with dignity as you define it.
As with the Durable Power of Attorney for your financial matters, if you recover from your incapacitation, you can once again make your own healthcare decisions. Also, you can revoke your Living Will at any time, as long as you have the legal capacity to do so. But having a Living Will and Healthcare Proxy in place now can provide peace of mind for you and avoid difficult decisions.
Revocable Trust
While the traditional Last Will and Testament has its place, a Revocable Trust is the core instrument of a modern estate plan. Sometimes called Living Trust, a Revocable Trust creates a foundation that lets you determine who will control your assets upon your death.
By using the trust, your family avoids the costly, time-consuming process of probate court. During your life, we transfer your assets to the trust, which, in effect, “owns” the assets. Upon your death, your appointed Trustee sees that your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Since you “own” nothing, probate is avoided.
At Legacy Trust & Wills, we believe a Revocable Trust offers important advantages over an Irrevocable Trust. A Revocable Trust allows you to make changes at any time during your life. Once an Irrevocable Trust is established, you cannot make changes. This is why we provide a Revocable Trust as the foundation of your plan.
HIPPA WAIVER
With strict government regulations forbidding anyone in the healthcare business from discussing your medical condition, The HIPPA Waiver enables your family and trusted friends to help you in difficult times. Strict government regulations forbid anyone in the healthcare business from discussing your medical condition. While certainly necessary to protect your privacy, these laws are also present a challenge for those trying to help. Whether it’s dealing with insurance companies or getting information from your doctor, if your family member doesn’t have your HIPAA Waiver they will be unable to assist. The absence of a HIPPA Waiver makes it increasingly difficult for loved ones to assist in times of need, whether in terms of insurance company communications or gathering necessary details from your doctor.
Contact us to create your personal estate plan today!
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Estate planning is often a neglected part of financial planning because it can be uncomfortable. However, it shouldn’t be overlooked because it gives you the opportunity to decide your legacy.