Cleveland Estate Planning Attorney
Attorney Erin Adams Armstrong has dedicated her legal career to helping Cleveland families through legal challenges. She founded Armstrong Law Offices in West Park to serve families in the greater Cleveland area and provide quality legal services outside of downtown Cleveland. For attorney Armstrong, her legal work is more than a career; it’s her life’s passion.
Her family law work extends to estate planning. By providing estate planning services for her clients, she helps families in Ohio make sure that their legacy and wishes are legally preserved in the event of their death or incapacity.
Estate Planning: Wills, Trusts, And Advance Directives
There are several different documents that work together to create a comprehensive estate plan. Wills, trusts, and advance directives all help you and your family plan ahead for disability and death. These topics can be difficult to discuss because they involve thinking seriously about your own mortality and the mortality of your partner. However, the conversation is mandatory for the fiscal and emotional health of your family in a time of grief and turmoil. By taking steps now to create an estate plan, you can help prevent future confusion. By setting out your wishes in writing in advance – at a time when your family is not in the thick of emotion of a difficult situation – you can alleviate mountains of potential future stress on those you leave behind.
Estate Planning For Unmarried Couples
Marriage protects your spouse’s inheritance rights. However, there are a lot of couples who are together without being married. Unmarried couples can still achieve some of the benefits conferred on married couples by making a complete estate plan that protects their partner and names them as their agent, especially in scenarios where their partner may not otherwise be considered their “next of kin.”
In Ohio, How Can Using A Trust Help With Your Estate Plan?
Using a trust can be a valuable estate planning tool for your comprehensive estate plan. Trusts allow you to manage your assets efficiently and ensure that they are distributed according to your wishes. One significant advantage of a trust is that it helps divert assets, which can allow those assets to avoid probate. Probate can be a lengthy and costly process.
With a trust, your beneficiaries can receive their inheritance more quickly and privately. Trusts can also provide for minor children, ensuring that they are financially supported until they reach adulthood. Additionally, a trust can offer tax benefits and protect your assets from creditors. West Park trust lawyer Armstrong can help you evaluate your assets and wealth and create a plan that is designed to help you secure your family’s financial future.
Life Transitions Are A Good Time To Review Your Estate Plan
Anytime you are going through a life transition, such as getting married, considering the adoption of a child, or navigating a divorce, it is a good time to either reevaluate your estate plan or create one if you don’t already have one. Everyone should have an estate plan, no matter what size their asset and wealth portfolio is, to make sure that their wishes are spelled out and that the assets that they do have go to loved ones of their choosing. Setting out your wishes in writing regarding guardianships can help protect and preserve the best interests of your children, especially if you have already navigated other legal challenges with child custody.
Consult A West Park Wills And Trusts Attorney
Attorney Armstrong can help you create a comprehensive estate plan or review an existing estate plan to make sure that it still reflects your wishes after a major life transition. To schedule an initial consultation, send a message through the firm’s online form or call 216-910-5559. Every family situation is unique, and an experienced estate planning lawyer can advise you on what will be best for you and your family and use a variety of estate planning tools to craft a plan tailored specifically to your situation.