It’s never too early to start planning out your estate. If you want your loved ones to remain financially protected and inherit what you wish to leave behind after your passing, setting up your will and trust is necessary. Here at Winkler Kurtz, LLP, we’ve seen how much of a debacle sifting through a poorly planned will can be for family members. However, we can help prevent this from happening. Hiring our team to draft your will and trusts will make the estate much easier for your loved ones to manage.
The Basic Checklist
Creating wills and trusts is one of the most important things you will do in your life. It helps ensure that your legacy is passed on accordingly and can help combat any domestic issues. That is why proper planning needs to go into creating these documents. Fortunately, our team of legal experts can help with this process. We’d like to layout an essential checklist to help with this, which includes:
- Taking an inventory of all of your assets.
- Begin to think about the needs of your family.
- Establish necessary legal directives.
- Go over your beneficiaries.
- Note New York’s tax laws.
- Schedule a consultation with our attorneys.
What To Leave Out Of A Will
When people begin to think about making a will, they often focus on what they think should be put in the will. However, it is just as essential to stop and consider what should be left out of the will. Leaving behind a will that can be contested or is filled with legal issues can make an already difficult time even more challenging. That is why our team at Winkler Kurtz, LLP highly recommends leaving the below out of all wills:
- Property with the right of survivorship.
- Property you have already placed in a trust.
- Property for which you have already named a beneficiary.
What Should Go In Your Will
Now that you know what should be left out of your will, our team would also like to comment on what needs to be put in it. A well-structured will helps your family members stay protected after your passing. Common things that our lawyers recommend placing in your will include the below:
- Guardianship rights to your children (if applicable).
- Assets you wish to pass down.
- Physical property (such as homes and buildings).
- Who will manage your children’s property (if appropriate).
The Benefits Of Creating Wills and Trusts
At Winkler Kurtz, LLP, we understand that creating wills and trusts can seem like a morbid task. It can also be very time consuming depending on the number of assets you were able to take in over your life. However, the pros of creating a will and trust far outweigh the cons. To get you thinking about the importance of doing so, we’d like to list the benefits of creating these things. These benefits include the following:
- You can leave property and assets to the people you choose.
- If made early enough, wills and trusts can be amended by you in the future.
- You can plan for personal matters such as burial and funeral requests.
- You can revoke your will entirely if you believe it no longer suits your current wishes.
Schedule A Consultation
Creating a will or trust does not need to be a complicated process. By working with our team at Winkler Kurtz, LLP, the creation of these can be smooth and seamless. By scheduling a consultation, you can learn what needs to go into creating a will or trust and how we can help. When you’re ready to start this, please don’t hesitate to contact our team today!