Legal solutions to help you achieve your goals

A will is not just about identifying who inherits your house or your car. A will is also important for identifying a guardian for your minor children if you should pass, or for appointing a trustee to oversee the assets inherited by your children until they are old enough to manage them responsibly. If you do not have a will, any decisions regarding your estate and children are out of your control – who inherits your estate will be determined by the rules of “intestate succession” (“intestate” means “without a will”). Guardians and trustees may be appointed by the courts. As you might imagine, administering the estate can also be more costly without a will.

I prepare wills, but moreover, I provide guidance on your overall estate plan and can assist in administration following the death of a loved one:

• Advanced healthcare directives (sometimes referred to as a living will) identifying an appointee to make health care decisions for you should you become incapacitated as well as powers of attorney to enable a loved one to handle your financial affairs should you be unable to handle them yourself.
• Estate planning that can help avoid unnecessary estate/inheritance tax expense, addresses guardianship and trustee decisions, minimizing probate time and expense and preparing updates as your personal circumstances change.
• Estate Administration: Assisting you in the administration of the estate of your deceased loved one, getting all notices filed, getting assets liquidated or transferred to beneficiaries and getting taxes paid and tax returns filed.

When you are starting or growing your own business, you invest a great deal of time and money towards the business and providing for your customers. It is important to seek legal advice and assistance when entering into business contracts to protect your investment of time and money. Let me help you draft important contracts for your company, or help you better understand what you are being asked to sign, suggest revisions and negotiate your contracts for your best deal:

• Contracts: Employment or independent contractor agreements, commercial leases, non-competes, customer or supplier agreements.
• Incorporation/Formation: If you are starting a business, I can help you decide what type of entity makes sense (corporation, LLC partnership, etc.) and assist in getting the entity legally formed.
• Business Acquisition: If you are buying a business, I can walk you through the process and assist you with documenting the transaction to ensure you are getting what you paid for and to help avoid surprises.