Estate Planning

When people think of estate planning, they usually think about a last will and testament, sometimes simply called a will for short.  While a will is certainly an important component of any comprehensive estate plan, there's a number of other estate planning documents that you may want to consider having in place. Some of these documents include a power of attorney, a living will, an appointment of a health care representative, a designation of a conservator, a document specifiying any organ donations you wish to make, and a designation of the person that will have custody of your body after you pass to ensure that funeral arrangements are made in accordance with your wishes. In addition, depdending on your family and financial circumstances, you may want to consider preparing one or more of the various types of trusts that are available.

We'll help you evaluate your personal and family situation and assist you in determining which documents you should have in place to make sure that your family is protected and that your wishes control your health care, personal affairs, property and body. A major component of our estate planning process is education. There is a lot of information out there about estate planning and it can be hard to figure out what is best for you. We'll make sure that you understand all of your options, along with the benefits and drawbacks of each option, so that your plan is truly your plan, not the one we think you should have. 

If appropriate, we'll also help you strategically plan for the possibility of federal and Connecticut estate tax implications. Presently, most Connecticut estates are not subject to estate tax at all, but we'll still evaluate your circumstances to determine if estate taxes are a concern, and if they are, we'll help you implement a plan to keep them as low as possible.

For more information about a particular type of estate planning document, use the links on the right.