If you have family heirlooms that you want to protect and pass down, a written agreement and some verbal instructions may not be enough to ensure that everything ends up in the right place. A Woodland Hills will attorney can help you write a binding, legally enforceable agreement. This is the best way to protect your heirlooms and ensure that everyone gets what you want them to after your passing.
Do I Need a Will or a Trust to Protect Family Heirlooms?
When you have family heirlooms to pass down, you will need a will and you could need a trust as well. A will is a document that declares the wishes of your estate. Once you have passed away, this tells people what you want to pass on to family members, friends, or even charities.
If your family heirlooms are particularly valuable, you may want to set up a trust. A trust can sometimes make it easier to distribute assets like heirlooms. Some types of trusts can also be adjusted easily, so you can change who gets what all the way up until the day you pass away or are considered no longer competent.
How Can an Estate Planning Lawyer Help?
Making your own estate plan can be tough, which is why we recommend talking to our estate planning lawyers before you try to craft legally binding documents all by yourself. We can help you protect your family heirlooms by advising you on the best way to go about creating an estate plan.
One of the first concerns is the will. Some people believe that they can write one themselves without the need to pay for a lawyer. In the age of the Internet, this seems even easier. You can probably easily find legitimate-looking templates for wills online. However, there are some specific legal requirements for wills. Not meeting these requirements can result in a will that is unenforceable, and that just means confusion and stress for your family.
Not only can our law firm help you draft an enforceable will, but we can also help you if you need to establish a trust. This is definitely not something you want to attempt on your own. We can advise you about the different types of trusts, how they can be modified, and which might work best for you. We can also advise you on how to avoid issues with taxes or Medicaid later on.
Contact Our Lawyers Today
When you are ready to learn more about how an estate planning lawyer can assist you, contact the Law Offices of Yacoba Ann Feldman. We can schedule a consultation and tell you more about why you need a will and why we are the law firm that should prepare this legal document for you.
