Estate Planning Attorney Essex County, Georgetown, MA 01833
Wills & Trusts
Free Initial Consultation: (978) 810-7773
Call the Law Offices of Donald J. Fournier | Wills & Trusts Lawyer (978) 810-7773 We help you with all Massachusetts Estate and Probate Issues.
Custom-crafted solutions to safeguard your assets, your family, and your peace of mind from unexpected events.
- You can make sure your family gets to keep what you give them.
- You can keep your family safe from people who want to take from them.
- You can stop your house from being sold to pay for nursing home bills.
Deciding what will happen to your home, your financial assets and your personal possessions after your death can be a difficult process. The consequences of not effectively planning in advance though can be significant. Online tools and other templates simply lack the tailored analysis required for your individual needs. Our office offers a comprehensive range of estate planning services including long-term care provisions, end-of-life arrangements, estate administration and more that only an individualized estate plan can provide:
- Drafting a Will.
- Creating a revocable or irrevocable trust.
- Creating a Supplemental (Special) Needs Trust for someone with disability.
- Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILIT).
- Creating business, education, retirement, and other trusts.
- Drawing up a health care proxy and general powers of attorney.
- Probate Administration.
- Succession Planning.
What if something happened to you?
Everyone owns something, which means you have an estate. It’s not just about large bank balances or property; it’s about everything you own – from your car to family treasures. Estate planning allows you to effectively manage your estate both during your life and after your death. A properly constructed estate plan will include sufficient elements to avoid the time and expense of probate, protect assets from creditors (both the grantor’s and those of the beneficiaries), provide adequate insurance and establish effective estate tax management strategies.
But what if life takes an unexpected turn, and you’re without a plan?
Without an estate plan, Florida has a default plan for you. And it’s probably not what you or your family would want. Don’t leave your legacy to chance.
Even if you have a will, it likely isn’t enough to keep your family out of court and conflict if you’re gone.
Is that a risk you’re willing to take?
At The Law Offices of Donald J. Fournier, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Our unique planning process starts with understanding your family dynamics, wishes, and what truly matters to you.
Estate planning is not just for a certain group of people – it’s for everyone, especially those you leave behind!
What items should be part of my Estate Plan?
Think of an Estate Plan as your life’s toolkit, brimming with different instruments for various purposes, all gathered in one comprehensive package.
We can help design the right estate plan depending on your needs and desires.
Here's a snapshot of what is often found in an estate plan:
Will
Think of your will as a guide. It shows where things go when you’re not here—from your favorite books to family treasures. It’s a one-time list of steps on how to handle your possessions. It’s also how you pick who looks after minor children.
Trust
Imagine a trust as a safe box. Everything you own goes into this box, keeping your stuff safe from debt collectors, court, legal battles, Medicaid claims, and unwelcome family members.
Beneficiary Designations
It lets you name who gets your assets, such as retirement accounts, life insurance, or bank savings. The assets go directly to your chosen ones, quickly and cleanly without probate.
Medical Power of Attorney
It allows you to choose someone to make healthcare decisions when you can’t do so for yourself, ensuring that your medical wishes are followed.
Financial Power of Attorney
Like the Medical Power of Attorney, the financial power of attorney lets you choose who can make your financial decisions when you can’t.
Advance Directive for Health Care
This enables you to outline your medical treatment preferences in advance and appoint someone to decide for you if you can’t, ensuring your healthcare wishes are respected.
Here are a few questions we’ll explore:
- Who do you want to leave your possessions to?
- Have you made arrangements for your long-term care needs?
- Are you looking to bypass probate and stay out of court?
- Are you interested in safeguarding your children’s inheritance against legal challenges, marital splits, and debts?
- Do you want to maintain full decision-making power if you cannot choose yourself?
Protecting what matters most to you
We build relationships and create solutions that stand the test of time.
We’ll discuss various solutions and go over our flat-free pricing structure during our discussion. By the end, you’ll have the information you need to make informed decisions about your planning options, ensuring your assets are protected and your family’s future is secure. Serving Essex County, Massachusetts, including:
We keep things straightforward.
Our firm offers a wide range of services, including creating advanced trusts, tax planning, and wealth conservation strategies that can help you minimize tax liabilities and protect your assets for future generations. Additionally, we provide expert guidance on long-term care and disability planning to ensure all aspects of your estate are meticulously handled.
It’s leaving a legacy.
An estate plan is about capturing and transferring your valuable intangible gifts: who you are and what’s important to you – your values, insights, stories, and experience. Through our unique promises, we’ll capture and share your legacy with the people you love most.
Avoiding Probate Security for You
Imagine suddenly becoming unable to make financial or medical decisions due to an emergency. Your estate plan acts as your voice, ensuring your wishes are followed even when you cannot express them yourself. This sense of control and empowerment is a key benefit of estate planning.
Security for Your Assets
You may have special items you wish to pass on to specific people. An estate plan guarantees your possessions are distributed exactly as you intend, without disputes. An estate plan protects your children’s inheritance from creditors, legal battles, unwanted family claims, and governmental interference. A well-crafted estate plan can bypass the probate process entirely, keeping your matters confidential and sparing your family the added stress during a loss.
Serving Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Boxford, Bradford, Byfield, Danvers, Georgetown, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Merrimac, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rowley, Topsfield, Salisbury, Wenham and West Newbury, in the areas of Business Law, Civil Litigation, Estate Planning, Personal Injury and Real Estate.