Category: Estate Planning

After a loved one passes away, probate can make the process of distributing assets time-consuming and costly. However, individuals can take steps during the estate planning process to bypass probate to reduce complications and simplify asset distribution before they die. An experienced Arizona estate planning attorney can explain how to avoid probate with a trust […]

A power of attorney (POA) gives someone legal authority to act on your behalf, but it doesn’t have to last forever. If your situation or relationship changes, you may wish to cancel that authority. While Arizona law makes provisions for revoking a power of attorney, you must handle the process carefully. When Can You Revoke […]

Minimizing taxes is a key component of estate planning and a way to preserve your wealth and maximize what gets passed on to your heirs. While Arizona does not impose a state inheritance or estate tax, federal tax laws may affect how much your heirs ultimately receive. With effective estate planning, you can reduce and […]

Living trusts are powerful estate planning tools that can help you avoid probate, prevent delays in passing along your inheritance, and control what happens to your estate after you’re gone. Here’s what you need to know about setting up a living trust in Arizona and how an experienced estate planning lawyer can help you achieve […]

Asset protection is one of the key purposes of estate planning. A living trust is one commonly used tool to accomplish that goal. Living trusts offer many benefits beyond asset protection, including probate avoidance, easier distributions to heirs, and privacy. However, you may wonder whether a living trust can protect assets from lawsuit threats. Here’s […]

You need to name a health care power of attorney, commonly called an agent, in your estate plan to make future health care decisions for you if you become too ill or can’t make those decisions for yourself. Your agent shall follow the instructions included in your advance healthcare directive and make other decisions on […]

Testators planning their estates or reviewing their documents sometimes need more than just a will. Wills are common testamentary instruments that let people choose their beneficiaries or name a guardian for their minor children. However, wills only take effect after their authors die. They also typically only facilitate the immediate transfer of property to specific […]

Many of your beneficiaries may be legal adults as you draft your estate plan. This means you can directly leave assets to them as you see fit. They can take control of financial accounts or real estate, for example. This becomes more complicated if you have a beneficiary who is a minor. In many cases, […]

Life insurance can be a major part of anyone’s estate. Maybe you have a substantial policy that’s going to pay $1 million to your family when you pass away. Your plan may be to divide that money between your primary beneficiaries, such as your adult children. You might think that the only step you need […]

With a power of attorney, the goal is to give someone else the right to take action on your behalf. For example, a medical power of attorney allows you to choose an agent who is legally authorized to make medical decisions on your behalf if necessary. Without a power of attorney in place, they may […]