Estate Planning Attorney
Estate planning is important, but it’s also easy to put off. We often hear from people who never thought to have an estate plan until they reached an important life milestone – like a marriage, the birth of a child, a divorce, or the death of someone they loved.
If you’re thinking of creating an estate plan, we can help. Our Fort Worth, Texas, law firm offers a wide range of estate planning documents. From a simple last will and testament to a more elaborate estate planning portfolio, we’ll tailor your estate plan to meet your needs with one of several estate planning packages. We also offer al a carte estate planning for people looking to have one specific document drafted or reviewed.
Our law firm also offers emergency estate planning services in the greater Fort Worth metro area, even traveling to your home, the hospital or the nursing home when necessary. Call us immediately at 8175876311 emergency estate planning help.
Estate Plans Are More Than Just a Will
A complete estate plan is usually more than just a will. Your estate plan might include several documents such as:
- Last Will and Testament: Your will tells how your real estate (called “real property” by lawyers) and personal property should be divided. It also names an executor to oversee the administration of your estate. A will may also leave specific gifts to certain people, provide for gifts to charity or give instructions about how your remains should be buried or cremated.
- Medical Power of Attorney: A medical “POA” designates someone (or several people) to communicate your medical wishes in the event that you cannot. If you have a medical power of attorney in place, your family will have clear instructions from you in the event of a medical emergency, like a stroke, advanced illness or traumatic accident that leaves you unable to communicate. It’s a good idea to have one – especially if you have clear ideas about the health care you would like to receive.
- Durable Power of Attorney: A durable “POA” appoints someone (or several people) to manage your finances and legal matters in the event that you cannot. With a POA, someone you trust can pay your bills, get you the services and financial assistance you need, and otherwise help you if you can’t take care of yourself. You can have your lawyer draft one and then lock it away, just in case you ever need it.
- Advance Directives: The advance directive is a document that gives your loved ones and medical providers directions about end-of-life medical care. In it, you list your wishes regarding things like feeding tubes and nutrition, hydration, pain management, organ donation and other issues that may arise at the end of life. Studies have shown that people who do not have advance directives are more likely to get extended end-of-life care they never wanted.
- Declaration of Guardian: A declaration of guardian is a legal document that the probate court must honor if you are ever incapacitated and need a guardian of your person or your estate. The document appoints someone you trust to take care of your affairs. It can be very helpful in giving clear direction to your family, sparing your next-of-kin from making tough decisions, and preventing family conflict.
- Power of Attorney for Children: For some couples, a kids’ power of attorney is a necessary part of the estate planning portfolio. It appoints a relative or a close family friend to serve in the role of guardian of their child. The document also allows parents to protect their kids by listing certain people who are never to serve as guardian under any circumstances.
Let Our Fort Worth Estate Lawyer Help with Your Estate Planning
At The Law Office of L. Taylor McPherson, we offer a wide range of estate planning services, including estate planning packages, individual document drafting, and emergency or bedside estate planning, if necessary. To get started, please call us at 817-668-0506 or contact us online.
We represent people throughout the greater Fort Worth area. Clients come to us from places like Keller, Arlington, Mansfield, Hurst, Bedford, North Richland Hills, Saginaw, Haslet, Crowley, and Burleson, Texas.