Northern Virginia Estate Planning Attorneys
The majority of Americans do not have an estate plan, which creates a lot of risk and uncertainty for their families. People need to move forward with crafting a plan that provides guidance and structure for their surviving family members while also lowering the odds of an estate dispute and streamlining the asset distribution process. The right plan makes all the difference.
Fortunately, we can help those who do not yet have a plan in Virginia.
At Bristle Schulze, we have the experience and knowledge needed to help you consider all potential estate planning tools and documents. We can guide you through the process, creating a unique plan that addresses your family’s specific needs. This can give you peace of mind, as you know that your family will be well taken care of even long after your passing.
Our Estate Planning Services
Although every estate plan is unique, there are some key areas we focus on, including:
- Drafting a will
- Setting up a trust
- Drafting health care directives
- Setting up medical and financial powers of attorney
- Giving money to charity
- Reducing taxes
The exact tools you use depend on your goals. Young parents often want to set up trusts to hold assets for their children. Older couples may be more interested in health care planning, especially when it comes to medical assistance or end-of-life care. Wealthy business owners may be interested in succession planning or asset preservation, ensuring that they reduce the tax burden on the estate and pass more of their assets on to their family – rather than giving that money to the government.
Tackling End-of-Life Matters In Your Estate Plan
Even though thinking about death can be uncomfortable, leaving your loved ones to take care of your end-of-life matters is even worse. After all, when you die, your relatives and close friends should be free to grieve without having to put together a funeral or find a burial plot.
When you are creating your estate plan, it makes a great deal of sense to tackle the end-of-life matters that are going to arise eventually. With a comprehensive estate plan, you can keep some control over what happens after your death while showing compassion to those you love the most.
- Guardianships: Your will is an excellent place to describe what you want to happen to your property after your death. If you have children or pets, though, you also may want to use the document to designate a guardian for them.
- Funeral instructions: Planning a funeral can be rough. Still, if you want to have some say over how the ceremony looks, you should leave precise funeral instructions in your will. You also can indicate whether you want a traditional burial, cremation or some other form of body disposal.
- End-of-life expenses: As you probably know, funerals, burials and cremations are not cheap. In fact, according to Bankrate, Americans spend an average of roughly $7,000 on funeral expenses. Because u do not want to make your loved ones foot the bill for your final expenses, your estate plan should set aside funds for paying them.
If you are young, settling end-of-life matters may seem silly. Ultimately, though, because you cannot predict the future, it is advisable to tackle these matters when you have time to think about what you want.
Create Your Estate Plan Today
No matter what you want to do with your estate plan, the key to success lies in finding a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer who can help you accomplish your goals.
Just contact us by email or call 703-278-2027 today to set up a consultation.