Estate Planning

Basic Estate Planning

Estate Planning is the process of arranging your affairs and finances to ensure that they pass smoothly to your beneficiaries with little to no court involvement and minimal tax consequences.

People typically people think of Wills and Trusts in conjunction with estate planning. However, these are merely two components of a complete and cohesive estate plan. A properly prepared estate plan should include at least the following documents:

  • Revocable Living Trust
  • Certification of Trust
  • Trust Summary
  • Trust Funding Instructions
  • Pour-Over Will
  • Durable Power of Attorney
  • Assignment of Personal Property
  • Personal Property Memorandum
  • Health Care Power of Attorney
  • Advance Health Care Directive (Click HERE)
  • HIPAA Authorization
  • Property Agreement (for spouses only)
  • Deeds transferring real property into the Trust
  • Remembrance and Services Memorandum (Click HERE)
Winstead Law Group, APC

Show your family that you care about them by having a well organized and up-to-date estate plan.

Advanced Estate Planning

Estate planning can also incorporate advanced techniques to minimize estate taxes, protect assets for future generations, and protect assets from potential creditors. These techniques frequently include implementing one or more of the following strategies:

  • Business Entities (Corporations or LLCs),
  • Structured Gifting,
  • Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs),
  • Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs),
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs),
  • Self Cancelling Installment Notes (SCINs),
  • Self-Settled Spendthrift Trusts,
  • Dynasty Trusts, and
  • Family Foundations.