The lawyers at Marsh, Higgins, Beaty & Hatch, P.C. have extensive experience handling a range of estate planning issues. Our Vancouver estate planning attorneys listen to client concerns and goals in order to create custom estate plans that meet their needs.
To learn more about the estate planning tools available to you and how we can help you, contact our lawyers online. You can also call us toll free at 866-678-1372 today for a same day consultation.
Experienced Representation in a Wide Range of Estate Planning Matters
Our Vancouver lawyers have helped and represented numerous clients in estate planning matters. Mr. Marsh and Mr. Higgins are long-time members of the Southwest WAshington Estate Planning Council. See (link ). We have knowledge and experience in a broad range of services including:
- Wills: To ensure that all assets and property are properly distributed to the roles depicted in the document, it is important to hire legal representation before, during and in the activation of a will.
- Trusts and trust administration: Forming a revocable living trust allows individuals to avoid having their assets go through probate. Our estate planning attorneys can explain to you the advantages and disadvantages of this option and assist you with creating the trust and transferring assets into the trust. We can also help you with trust administration issues.
- Community property agreements: Community property agreements for married persons act as an alternative to having assets go through probate upon the death of the first spouse. These agreements have certain advantages and limitations that our qualified attorney can explain to you in detail.
- Special needs trusts: Special needs trusts are created to ensure that a disabled beneficiary is able to receive or benefit from the funds held in the trust without jeopardizing his or her ability to receive government benefits.
- Irrevocable trusts: If your estate is in excess of the amount that is not subject to estate taxation, you may want to have an irrevocable trust to protect the interests of your beneficiaries and reduce the estate taxes.
- Guardianships: In the event that an individual has been deemed unable to manage his or her own affairs, the court appoints a guardian for the incapacitated individual. The guardianships process can be expensive and complicated. We can guide you through the process and represent your interests.
- Powers of attorney: A power of attorney allows an individual to appoint another person to act on his or her behalf in the event of incapacity. Powers of attorney can be useful when the principal, the person making the appointment, becomes unable to manage his or her own affairs. We can help you draft a power of attorney as part of your estate plan.
- Health care directives: Health care directives are written documents in which individuals specify their end of life health care preferences should they become unable to make such decisions. Our Vancouver health care directives lawyers can help you understand and draft comprehensive health care directives.
- Probate of estate: This process involves the court in overseeing the administration of a deceased individual's property or estate. This is most common when the deceased does not have a trust or community property agreement .
- Estate, trust and guardianship litigation: Our Vancouver estate litigation attorneys have experience handling disputes that may arise regarding an estate, trust, guardianship or a probate-vulnerable adult protection order. We have extensive experience with the Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act (TEDRA), which provides for the resolution of disputes, and other matters involving estates, trusts and guardianship matters.
- Prenuptial agreements: While normally considered a family law tool, a prenup can provide important asset protection as part of your estate plan. For example, in the event of a second marriage subsequent to a divorce, a prenuptial agreement will help you preserve the assets acquired before marriage.
Contact a Clark County Wills and Trusts Attorney
If you are seeking legal representation or would like more information about our services, speak with a lawyer at our office today for a same day consultation. You can reach us toll free at 866-678-1372 or by contacting us online.
