Estate Planning
Protect Assets
At DeVetter Law, we are here to help you protect your assets and ensure that your legacy is passed down to your family and loved ones, both before and after death. We see your legacy in the positive changes you make, the relationships you nurture, and the way you are remembered by the lives you touch. Our firm is committed to leaving a lasting impact on your life, family, and community through our dedicated legal work on your behalf.
Our Unique Perspective
At DeVetter Law, we bring a unique perspective to estate planning, equipped to help you address potential issues before they arise and skillfully navigate situations where plans may not already be in place. We view each estate plan as a component of a larger legacy—reflecting the positive changes you inspire, the relationships you build, and the lasting memories you create. Our approach ensures that your vision for your family and community is realized, even in unforeseen circumstances.
An estate plan is simply a collection of documents designed to help your loved ones deal with your affairs when you are unable to do so due to incapacity, disability, or death. By communicating your needs, expectations, and instructions in an estate plan, you make it easier for your loved ones to protect and preserve your legacy.
What Is Our Estate Planning Process?
Information Gathering
Design Review Meeting
Draft & Approval of Estate Plan
Signing Meeting
Delivering Estate Plan to Client
Estate planning at DeVetter Law starts with a friendly chat to get to know you and your unique situation. We’ll talk about your family, your assets, your debts, and how you want things handled if you’re ever unable to manage them yourself or in the event of your passing.
We’ll talk about the pros and cons of different strategies and tools available to meet your goals. We’ll talk through any questions or concerns you may have about your individual circumstances. We’ll make sure that you have peace of mind that your loved ones will be able to protect and preserve your legacy. You see, it’s not just about the legal stuff for us; it’s about helping you leave a lasting mark through the good you’ve done and the connections you’ve cherished. It is also about making sure (to the best of our ability) that your plan will work when it’s needed most.
Next, we roll up our sleeves and get down to the business of crafting the documents that are designed to make sure your wishes are honored. Key components of an estate plan typically include a last will and testament, power of attorney, advance health care directive and living will, and directions for the gifting of specific items of personal property. For some clients, a trust may also be created to avoid probate or manage and protect assets for beneficiaries.
Once all of the components are completed and approved by you, we schedule a meeting to review and sign your estate planning documents.
At your signing meeting, we will review your full documents with you, ensuring that your plan reflects your wishes and that all your questions are answered.
Once the documents are signed, we will provide you with your originals and electronic copies that you can share with your loved ones. But our job doesn’t stop once the ink dries. We stay in touch, checking in with you periodically to see if anything’s changed or if your plan needs a tweak. We’re here for the long haul, making sure your legacy is secure and continues to reflect your life and values.
Estate Planning Services
Wills
A last will and testament is a legal document that describes how someone wants their assets handled after they pass. A properly drafted and signed will is the foundation of any estate plan.
Trusts (Revocable, Irrevocable, Special Needs, and others)
A trust is an entity that allows someone, called a “trustee”, to hold and manage assets on behalf of another. As part of an estate plan, a trust may be created and assets transferred to that trust. Trust assets do not go through probate, allowing an efficient transfer and management of assets, as well as privacy for families.
Powers of Attorney
A power of attorney is a legal document that allows someone to act on another’s behalf in handling their finances and assets. In this document, a person called a “principal” names an “agent” to do certain things for them, from handling their bank account assets to selling their house to creating trusts. What abilities an agent has depends on the needs of the principal.
Advance Directives and HIPAA Authorizations
An advance directive for health care is similar to a power of attorney, in that it names an agent to act on another’s behalf to make decisions. However, the focus of an advance directive is on health care. In an advance directive, the author outlines their preferences for health care decisions, most notably end-of-life care.
Planning for Special Circumstances
Many people have circumstances that require special consideration in estate planning. These could be disabled loved ones, children under 18, college-aged children, heirs with addictions, pets, people with intellectual property rights, and many others. We use various estate planning tools to address these particular situations.
