Estate Planning

The attorneys at Thrift McLemore have experience dealing with people of all ages and estates of all sizes. We provide assistance with a variety of estate planning documents, including Last Will and Testaments, Revocable Living Trusts, Health Care Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Financial Powers of Attorney (General, Specific, Springing, and Durable), Special Needs Trusts, Pet Trusts, and Inheritance Trusts.

We customize every estate plan to the client’s unique family, objectives, and assets. Whether your goal is to keep things as simple as possible for your loved ones or if you need to implement more sophisticated distribution and tax planning strategies, we have the necessary knowledge of current laws, legal trends, and the most successful legal techniques to tailor a plan that fits your needs.

Whether you are creating an estate plan for the first time or updating an existing plan, we are here to help.

Estate Planning Essentials

If you don’t have a plan in place, Georgia law makes the plan for you. The following documents allow you to stay in control of and protect what you care about the most:

Last Will and Testament: A Last Will and Testament ensures that your assets pass according to your wishes. It names your chosen beneficiaries, appoints someone to be in charge of settling your estate, and if you have a child or children under 18-years-old, it nominates a guardian to care for them if something happens to you and the other parent.

Revocable Living Trust: Similar to a Will, a Revocable Living Trust controls the disposition of your assets upon your death. Unlike a Will, the Revocable Living Trust has the added benefits of protecting you and your assets if you become incapacitated and it avoids the costs, delays, and publicity of the probate process.

Financial Power of Attorney: This document designates someone (called your “agent”) to act on your behalf if and when it is necessary. Your agent may perform any of the powers you give them, but only while you are alive.

Advance Directive for Health Care: This essentially combines the prior Georgia Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will. It allows you to do the following: (1) name someone (called your “agent”) to make health care decisions for you if you cannot make health care decisions for yourself;  (2) express any one of three treatment preferences for end of life care if you have a terminal condition or if you are in a state of permanent unconsciousness;  and (3) nominate a guardian should the need for one arise.

Communication

At Thrift McLemore, we understand how important it is to communicate properly and ensure that everyone is on the same page, especially when it comes to this sensitive practice area.

We will always be transparent and honest in our assessments and communication with each client. We take the time to listen to our clients’ concerns, and we provide accurate feedback and legal counsel that best meets their needs. Our attorneys are always available to explain our services in detail and answer questions, from the big picture issues to the smaller aspects of planning that might get overlooked.

Protect what you care about most

A proper estate plan protects you, your loved ones, and your assets. When it comes to your family’s time, peace of mind, and wealth, the stakes are far too high to cut corners with your estate plan. Talk to an experienced Georgia estate planning attorney today by calling 678-882-0830.