ESTATE PLANNING:

Plan on how you will be remembered by your loved ones!

We all know the phrase  . . .  the one thing everyone can be sure about is death (and taxes)!  The difference between the two is that death cannot be delayed or extended at your personal request. A properly drafted estate plan is the key to long term protection of your hard work as well as your loved one’s futures.

ESTATE PLANNING:

Drafting your estate plan does not need to be a drawn out, emotional or costly endeavor.
The attorneys at Payne & Associates, will listen to your needs and advise you on the documents you need to carry out your wishes.  Everyone’s situation is unique.  Payne and Associates are able to customize your estate plan based on your particular needs and desires and provide you with one, flat fee . . . you will know in advance exactly what your estate plan will cost.

Payne & Associates assist clients of all means, ages and situations with their decision making and estate planning.  From our lottery winning clients to our newlyweds, same sex couples, senior citizens and recent college graduates, there is no age requirement or estate too large or too small.

Payne & Associates will devise an estate plan pursuant to the laws of The Commonwealth that will take into consideration your needs with regards to drafting and executing your last will and testament, health care proxy, durable power of attorneys, insurance, real estate, personal property, trusts and estates as to gain the maximum benefit while, at the same time, carrying out your wishes for the disposition of your property upon death.

Upon incapacity (temporary or permanent) due to illness or an accident, an estate plan will allow your loved ones to carry out your wishes for your health care and/or maintain their standard of living or household during their difficult time.  Bring your family together in their time of grief instead of tearing them apart with the immense decisions over your health care, funeral, personal items and/or handling your financial affairs. 

An estate plan can evolve with you as life changes.  In other words, Payne & Associates can draft your estate plan today and later simply modify or alter portions with the use of one document called a codicil.   This eradicates the need to draft an entirely new plan once one is already in place.

Will your estate or health care become the center of dispute among your family and loved ones?   This is often the case in the absence of a comprehensive plan for your healthcare wishes, management of your estate and division of your assets.  Spare your family the added burden of trying to manage your affairs without the proper guidance or authority to act on your behalf.  If not properly planned, your estate could be the center of family disputes. For instance, who will be making your decisions upon your death or incapacity and how will they:
[x] access and make payments on your accounts;
[x] access your medical records;
[x] make your medical decisions;
[x] save your home from foreclosure and liens (from non-payment);
[x] access to your insurance policies and paperwork;
[x] access your bank accounts, investments, safety deposit boxes, etc.;
[x] make and/or pay for your funeral and burial plans;
[x] divide or distribute your belongings (for example, who gets your wedding ring?);
[x] divide or distribute your assets and investments;
[x] name a legal guardian;
[x] manage leaving assets to minors.

Together, with Payne & Associates, you can devise a plan to bring your family/loved ones together in their time of grief with a clear, concise estate plan.  Plan how you will be remembered by your loved ones!

Useful Definitions:

Estate
An estate is everything that you own such as your home, personal goods, cars, real estate holdings, investments and more. It is vital that you have a plan in place to ensure your assets are safe for the future

Wills
A will is a legal document that lets people know who should receive what assets upon your death. It can also be used to declare who should be responsible for your children and their inheritance as well.

Healthcare Proxy
A Health Care Proxy is a document that allows someone you chose the authority to make health care decisions on your behalf if you are unable to make or communicate those decisions yourself.

Power of Attorney
a power of attorney is a document that gives a certain person authority to make decisions for you when you become incapacitated. These can be anything from financial to legal decisions.