When it comes to estate planning, it’s normal to feel...
I can help you resolve all these issues and more.
- Confused by mind-numbing legal jargon
- Concerned with the legitimacy of documents from self-service platforms
- Unable to tell information from misinformation
- Overwhelmed by the number of documents you might need in your estate plan
- Uneasy with the sensitive nature of estate planning itself
If you’re looking for an estate planner to trust with your family legacy, who can make the planning process easy, and who will make an effort to understand your current and future needs…
I’m your attorney in life and death.
“I was introduced to Jennifer by a mutual friend, and within 10 minutes of meeting her, I could see why people enjoy working with her so much.”
She's warm, caring, and easily develops strong relationships. I worked with her on a simple probate matter that dragged on due to COVID and court staffing shortages. Her guidance was instrumental in keeping things moving until the process was complete.
I later called on her to prepare my estate documents (will, trust, etc.). She was empathetic to my situation as a single parent. Jenn made the process easy and efficient while providing clear explanations of each document and the considerations around them.
It was truly a pleasure working with her.
- lynne z.
client wins
Estatewise Full-Service Estate Planning
Having an estate plan is more than saying who gets what after death. It includes specifications for all your legal wishes for life and death, including powers of attorney for legal situations, healthcare proxies during a medical emergency, and trusts to protect your beneficiaries.
This full-service option is great for families who are just starting to explore estate planning or need to overhaul an existing plan. Through a fully-guided and educational experience, we’ll draft up a comprehensive estate plan that’s completely custom to your unique situation.
Though I’m experienced, I don’t claim to be an expert in everything. This is why I also work with a great network of financial advisors, accountants, and other attorneys who can weigh in their expertise when needed to ensure we craft a plan that sets you up for the best success.
About EA Full-Service Estate Planning
The documents your estate plan may include:
Trusts come in many forms, but at its core, trusts are legal entities that include a trust beneficiary, trust-maker, and trustee. It can help your family avoid probate court and minimize estate taxes.
Trusts
A will is a document that outlines how and when your beneficiaries will inherit your assets after your passing.
wills
This is a group of legal documents specifying who you want to make medical decisions for you and outlines your other medical wishes in case you lose the ability to communicate them.
Health Care Documents
This document gives a person (otherwise known as a principal, grantor, or donor) the authority to represent or act on your behalf in various legal matters.
Powers of Attorney
(Health Care Proxy, Living Will, and HIPAA Authorization)
Estatewise Full-Protection Membership
Just like you would go to your primary care doctor for regular health check-ups, your estate plan needs to be regularly reviewed and updated because life changes. This is why I always recommend this service for families seeking complete peace of mind.
Working together to update your estate plans to reflect your current situation, this annual membership safeguards your assets against life’s unexpected events.
About EA Full-Protection Membership
The membership includes…
- All the estate planning essentials that are most appropriate for your unique situation
- Yearly review to make sure your estate plan is still appropriate for your family
- Updates to fiduciaries to reflect your family’s changing relationships
- Priority scheduling and callbacks
- Webinar invites that will continue to foster your knowledge about your estate plans and boost your confidence around how to use them
Trust Administration
You can think of a trust as a set of babysitter instructions that leave directions for Trustees to carry out. Most trusts provide a lot of discretion so that they can easily respond to changing laws and circumstances. And most Trustees and beneficiaries are overwhelmed when they first review the trust document!
Having experience working with Trustees, families, and beneficiaries, I can help you understand exactly what these babysitter instructions say, what discretion is included, and how to use that discretion appropriately.
- I assist Trustees, families, and beneficiaries by recommending and working with other professionals to plan tax-efficient distributions and support those professionals as they prepare and file trust income tax returns
- I will help determine how to best withdraw assets under the trust's provisions
- Some trusts are meant to be fully distributed soon after death, while some are meant to last generations. No matter the case, I'll help you understand the specifications and make a plan for how the trust will be administered
Other ways I help with trust administration:
Probate Administration
When an individual dies with assets held in their name and without beneficiary designations, a probate administration must be opened to transfer those assets in accordance with that person's will. (or, if they don't have a will, according to the state law.)
- Help you and your family navigate the process
- Advise you whether probate is going to be necessary
- Help you decide which type of probate is necessary for the situation
- Assist in preparing, filing, and tracking the proper probate documents for the court
- Recommend and consult with other professionals, as necessary, who prepare and file any required estate and fiduciary income tax returns
- Assist with the administration, closing process, and final distributions
In these situations, I step in to:
