Planning for your future is a critical element of maintaining financial security and keeping your affairs in order. Sound Advocates Law Group creates comprehensive estate plans to help individuals safeguard their assets and plan for their future. Whether you need a simple will, power of attorney, or more complex estate plan, Sound Advocates Law Group can help. Our estate planning services are normally done on a flat fee basis, with fees beginning as low as $350 for a simple will-based estate plan. Other documents can be quoted on a flat fee basis based on each individual circumstance. Call (206) 420-8710 to discuss your situation with an attorney and schedule a free initial consultation.
Wills
A centerpiece of all estate plans is the creation and execution of a will. In order to be validly executed, the person making the will must have testamentary capacity and must sign the will in the presence of two witnesses. The witnesses must also sign the document. Wills allow individuals to pass their property on their death to beneficiaries in the manner of their choosing and avoids the default rules governing intestate succession in Washington State. Wills can also be used to set up trust instruments to help minimize estate tax and other tax liabilities. To discuss creating or modifying your will, contact one of our attorneys today.
Revocable Living Trusts
Many individuals choose to use a revocable living trust as their primary estate planning instrument. With a revocable living trust and pour over will, you can transfer your assets to your beneficiaries without a probate process and without court involvement in your estate’s affairs. Call today to discuss whether a revocable living trust is right for your circumstances.
Community Property Agreements
Community Property Agreements can be used in conjunction with a will. These instruments generally provide for the passage of all community assets from one spouse to another at death. Community Property Agreements can help ease the legal process surrounding the death of only one spouse, allowing for the passage of assets without probate proceedings. Contact us today to discuss whether a Community Property Agreement is right for your estate plan.
Durable Power Of Attorney
The Durable Power of Attorney is another vital part of most estate plans. A power of attorney allows the signer (“principal”) of the power of attorney to designate another person (the “attorney-in-fact”) to act on their behalf, should such a need arise, in both financial and health care matters. A Durable Power of Attorney can grant various different specific powers, either broad or more limited in scope, to the attorney-in-fact.
Health Care Directives
Many individuals choose to include a health care directive in their comprehensive estate plan. Health care directives are authorized and governed under the Washington Natural Death Act. Health Care Directives allow individuals to document their desires for withholding or removal of treatment in case of terminal illness or permanent unconsciousness. These directives can include various details on when to withhold care or stop giving care in a terminal case. Contact us today to discuss the details of Health Care Directives.
Disclaimer
Nothing contained on this page or this website shall constitute legal advice. The information provided above is for informational purposes only. No two estate plans will be exactly the same, and the individual needs and circumstances of the client will dictate how any estate plan is formed and carried out.