First, it’s important to understand that estate planning is a process and not an event. Your estate plan should be comprehensive, coordinated, and documented. You need to make sure that your assets are owned properly, and that your beneficiary designations are coordinated with your overall plan. Estate planning documents should not be thought of as products which can be purchased “off the shelf.” Instead, estate planning documents such as Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance directives for heath care should be viewed as documents designed as part of a consultative process and intended to work as part of an overall plan.

Since estate planning is designed to address the effect of events which will happen in the future, it often requires answers to questions you may not have thought of on your own, and it often means that you have to consider multiple possible scenarios, rather than just the situations you believe are most likely to occur. Some of the most common comments we receive from our clients here at Morgan & DiSalvo are “This is more complicated than we thought” and “We never thought of that possibility.” The advice and guidance of an experienced, focused estate planning attorney can be an invaluable and critical part of the estate planning process.

Look for a professional adviser who has the proper credentials and experience, and who will assist you in reaching your goals and objectives. Avoid planners or automated forms who treat you as a generic person by feeding your information into pre-constructed forms that don’t take your individual circumstances and preferences into account. You generally should select an attorney who practices in the state in which you have your primary residence, as each state has its own set of rules which can affect the provisions of your estate plan.

We invite you to use the wealth of information provided on this website to educate yourself on estate planning and the other areas in which we practice. Check in often, as news, updates and insights are added frequently in our ongoing efforts to provide our clients and prospective clients with the tools they need to help plan their futures. In addition, to help ensure that you receive periodic information and insights, please sign up for our newsletter, “The Passionate Estate Planner,” by sending a request to info@morgandisalvo.com.

Of course, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you, as well. Call us at 678-720-0750 or send us an email to arrange your complimentary estate planning consultation so we can sit down and discuss a customized estate plan that’s right for you.