You have spent your life building your assets and caring for your family. As you contemplate retirement or other life changes, you need legal advice to protect and preserve your legacy and secure your family’s future.
The nationally recognized attorneys at Skelton Taintor & Abbott have estate planning experience and have successfully advised clients for over 160 years on:
- WILLS
Our top ranked attorneys help clients of all ages protect and preserve their resources and direct how future generations will receive a share of your assets.We can explain all your options and help you choose between traditional wills and more sophisticated options such as trusts, limited liability companies, charitable trusts, conservation easements, and other planned giving methods, to limit tax exposure and guide future generations, or benefit charities of your choosing. - POWERS OF ATTORNEY
We have extensive experience in drafting financial powers of attorney which can assure you that your finances will be handled responsibly if you need assistance during your lifetime. A well-crafted financial power of attorney allows you to select your own “agent” and avoid conservatorships or guardianships which are available only through extensive (and expensive) Probate Court proceedings.Healthcare powers of attorney also allow you to name your own healthcare “agent”, provide directions regarding your future health care and include guidance for your family. - TRUSTS
A trust can be useful to address a wide variety of issues and the attorneys at ST&A can guide you. In addition to tax-oriented trusts, trusts can be drafted to hold and administer assets for the benefit of minor children or grandchildren, or to create a “special needs” trust which, if properly drafted, permit beneficiaries to continue to receive government benefits while allowing a trustee to pay for supplemental needs. - PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS
Clients entering into a second marriage (especially when either spouse has children from a prior marriage) or a marriage where one spouse has a particular asset that needs protection (for example, interest in a family-run business), often benefit from a prenuptial agreement. ST&A attorneys are skilled at crafting agreements which range from targeting only specific assets to general protection for the parties to allocate assets upon death or divorce.
- COMMON OWNERSHIP OF VACATION PROPERTY
Many families are faced with the question of how to allow multiple family members to inherit and use a vacation property, such as a camp or oceanfront house. At ST&A, we have seen the pitfalls of not planning appropriately for such transfers and we can guide your family on this important issue.
You’ve worked too hard to trust your legacy to a form downloaded from the internet. Let us know what you’re planning for the next chapter of your life and the dedicated estate planning attorneys at ST&A will provide you with a plan that achieves it. Call (207) 784-3200 today.
