Estate Planning

Whether you have substantial assets or you have more modest means, there are estate planning tools that can be beneficial for planning your financial future and that of your loved ones. Estate planning is not simply for the wealthy or those advancing in years. There are numerous ways to plan effectively to protect your assets and your family’s access to those assets. The better you plan, the better you and those you care for will be able to weather any future storm.

At Goldman Schwartz, LLC, we work with clients from all walks of life who want to protect what they have and the ones they love. From elderly clients facing end-of-life decisions, to clients who have just started a family and want to make sure their children are looked after, from wealthy individuals with substantial assets, to working class clients who want to do the most with what they have, we provide personalized solutions targeted towards the goals and aspirations of each client.

Protecting Assets And Ensuring Your Wishes Are Honored

It makes sense to protect your assets. The term “asset” can describe a variety of things, including retirement accounts, a business, savings, real estate, life insurance, collectibles and more. Whatever assets you possess, there are legal tools that can help you protect them, minimize the taxes your heirs pay, and ensure that what you worked so hard to earn winds up where you want it to.



You also want to ensure that whatever decisions you make about what happens after you pass away, or become incapacitated, are honored. Estate planning tools can help you clarify your wishes in documents that are legally binding. Whatever the future holds for you, your instructions will be followed.

Tools For Estate Planning

Last Will and Testament

If you do not have a will already, you need one. Without at least a will, your loved ones will be left without any clear direction on what to do with your assets. The absence of a will can lead to considerable stress and conflict, so it is worth your time to have one drafted even if you do not have considerable assets. No matter what stage of life you are in, having a will is important for your family. We can help with simple wills and more complex documents.

Trusts

Trusts can provide so many benefits. They can help you protect assets from excessive taxation, they can provide ongoing support for your loved ones and they can help you retain access to public benefits, among other advantages. There are numerous types of trusts, each with different limitations, which is why it is important to speak with an experienced estate planning attorney to determine which is right for you. Whether you want to have more control over your assets with a revocable living trust, or you want the greater financial benefits of an irrevocable trust, we can help.

Health Care Directives

You have the ability to dictate what will happen should you become medically incapacitated through a health care directive. The more decisions you make now, the less hard choices your family will need to make should your health fail unexpectedly.

Powers of Attorney

Sometimes you need to give another party the power to make decisions for you, whether financial or medical. There are a variety of options when it comes to powers of attorney, including a durable power of attorney, each designed for different circumstances. We can help you choose and implement the one that works for you situation.

Planning with Retirement Benefits

Your retirement benefits can go a lot further with appropriate planning. How they fit into your overall financial plan will depend on a lot of factors, but we can assure you that we will find the most effective solutions for your circumstances.

Planning For The Future

Considering questions about what you want to happen in undesirable circumstances – like incapacity or death – is not an easy thing to do. But it is a necessary thing if you want to take care of yourself and your family. Our team is ready to help guide you through the planning process, offering informed advice and workable solutions that will ultimately leave you feeling more confident about the future.

If you are in Connecticut or Westchester County, NY, we invite you to contact our firm and schedule an appointment. Our skilled and compassionate team is here to answer your questions, offer solutions and ultimately provide you with a plan that fits your unique goals and vision. Please contact us now to get started.