Estate Planning
When life changes, protecting what you’ve built becomes essential. Whether you’re planning for your family’s future, preserving your assets, or preparing for the unexpected, we provide thoughtful estate planning through wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives.
Anyone who owns assets, such as cars, real estate, cash, bank accounts, or investments, has an estate. Your estate does not go with you when you die. Who do you want to inherit your assets? A properly crafted estate plan prevents disputes and litigation among family and loved ones when you cannot speak for yourself. At Hovssepian Law we will help you clearly state how your property should be distributed.
An estate plan sets out clear instructions for managing a person’s financial, legal, and select personal matters after death or if they lose the mental capacity to manage them. When carefully prepared, reviewed, and updated by experienced estate planning attorneys, these documents are generally legally enforceable and are unlikely to be successfully contested in court.
In many cases, people create an estate plan to ensure that the bulk of their liquid assets are passed on to family members or remain accessible to support loved ones if their capacity to manage personal or financial affairs becomes compromised. These objectives are frequently accomplished through legal documents such as:
How Does Estate Planning Work?
Will and Testament
A will is a written document that sets out a person’s instructions for handling their final affairs. In this legal instrument, the testator names an executor, a trusted individual appointed to carry out those duties and oversee administration of the estate. The will identifies the beneficiaries and specifies how the testator’s assets are to be distributed among them. It may also include other relevant directions, such as funeral or burial wishes, guardianship arrangements for minor children, and provisions for paying particular debts or settling other outstanding obligations.
Living Trust
Some people hire a trust attorney to create a living trust that transfers all their assets to a trustee’s control. The trustee is authorized to manage and distribute those assets according to the trust’s instructions after the grantor’s death.
Power of Attorney
Some people also create a power of attorney. This document grants a named person the authority to make important legal and financial decisions on the grantor’s behalf if the grantor becomes unable to do so.
Health Care Proxy
This legal instrument is somewhat similar to a power of attorney. However, said document gives the individual designated by the author the right to render healthcare decisions on the author’s behalf in the event said individual cannot do so on their own accord.
At Hovssepian Law, we understand how crucial carefully drafted documents are for safeguarding your family and minimizing the risk of future disputes or litigation. We are committed to collaborating closely with each client to develop personalized estate plans that accurately reflect their individual circumstances and address their specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. For issues specific to your situation, schedule a FREE Consultation.
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Most people need at least a Will. Whether you also need a Trust depends on factors like:
The value of your assets
Whether you own real estate
Privacy concerns
Desire to avoid probate
Minor children or special needs beneficiaries
Many people benefit from having both.
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If you pass away without a will or trust, your estate is distributed according to state law, not your wishes. This process is called intestate succession, and it is very costly, time consuming, and most importantnly it may not reflect who you actually want to inherit your assets or care for your children.
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Yes. Most wills and revocable trusts can be changed at any time while you are alive and mentally competent. Life changes—marriage, divorce, children, new assets—are common reasons to update estate plans.
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Yes. A “pour-over will” works with your trust and ensures that any assets not placed in the trust are transferred into it upon your death.
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You should review your estate plan:
Every 3–5 years
After major life events (marriage, divorce, birth, death, major asset changes)
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.