Definition of Estate Planning
In order to have an effective conversation about the type of estate planning that clients should implement, we first need to understand what makes an effective estate plan. To do this, let’s look at a Definition of Estate Planning. When clients understand the goals expressed in this definition and adopt these goals as their own for their estate plan, then the type of estate plan can be determined.

4 Critical Elements of Any Effective Estate Plan

Our goal is to help each of our clients create Effective Estate Plans.  We have learned over the years that regardless of the documents used in an estate plan, every effective estate plan has the same 4 common elements.  Make sure that your estate plan has these elements as well.

Estate Planning Survey
Does your current estate plan work for you? Does it meet your needs? This survey will help you see your options and help you evaluate whether your current plan meets your needs.

What is a Trust?
Many people have the impression that a trust is a very complicated legal instrument that is only useful for the super wealthy who have millions of dollars in their estates. They may have been told that unless they are going to have a federal estate tax liability upon their deaths, setting up a trust is not worth the trouble that administering a trust during their lifetime will cause. However, such a view overlooks the benefits of a revocable living trust and the manner in which it can be operated.

So what Does a Will Really Cost?
If you are like most people, you want to save money where you can. You may think that you can save money on your estate planning by only doing a simple will. But what does a Will really cost?

Estate Planning with Minor Children
Providing for and protecting your children are the most important obligations we have as parents. Proper estate planning will necessarily provide for these obligations. This article addresses estate planning issues that are specific to parents with minor children.

Naming Guardians

As a parent, how can you choose the person who would care for your children in the event you are unable to do so? This article gives some guidance on the 4 steps to choosing the right person.

Maintaining your Estate Plan
Making an effective estate plan is not a “task” or an “event” that produces a static set of documents that can be locked away until the plan needs to be implemented, but it is instead a process that creates a living plan that can and must be maintained over time to ensure that the client’s needs and goals are actually met. This article looks at reasons why an estate plan needs to be maintained and provides the details on our Annual Maintenance program.

Business Planning

If you are the owner of a business, you know how important it is to plan.  Whether you're a sole proprietor or have other co-owners, the need to make plans includes having a plan for your eventual transition out of the business.  This article describes some of the issues and solutions to consider when making a succession plan for your business.

Serving clients with Living Trusts, Wills, Elder Law issues, Medicaid and Veterans Planning, Probate Estates and Trust Administration, Business Law and Business Planning, and Real Estate Law in Perrysburg and Wood County, Ohio, as well as clients in Toledo, Maumee, Sylvania and all of Lucas County, and Fulton, Henry, Defiance, Sandusky and Ottawa Counties.

Protecting Those You Love and Preserving What You Have. 

Copyright 2007-2012 Law Office of Richard M. Chamberlain, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.