Estate Planning

One of the more important parts of one's “legal” life is having an estate plan that reflects your own desires for the disposition of your property. If you do not have a will, the state (as a practical matter, through its laws of intestate succession) has already written one for you. It is a “one size fits all” arrangement that may not reflect how you want your own property distributed.

The only intelligent way to avoid this state-imposed distribution scheme is to work with an attorney who is experienced in estate planning.  You can then communicate to him the details of your own situation and the manner in which you want your property distributed once you are gone.

And because of recent revisions to tax and other laws (as well as changes in your finances, your family, and the broader society), a trust or series of trusts is often used as a method to provide additional legal protection for you, your relatives and your hard-earned assets.

A trust also helps ensure that wealth you leave to your family actually stays within the family (and away from people who are predatory, unscrupulous or simply poor at managing money). Mr. Wall's own family learned this the hard way, when his ancestral farm was lost to the family for a period of years prior to his own entry into college and law school -- all due to a lack of knowledge about the protective powers of estate planning. This is one reason he believes "farm and ranch protection" to be of vital importance to the rural community and family members who have ties to it.

Just as importantly, you can also use estate planning as a tool to promote faithful transmission to future generations of the values and wisdom developed during your life.

A Durable Power of Attorney for Property is also an important tool to protect you and to allow management of your affairs in the event of your incapacity, or other situations that might prevent personal involvement with your property and finances.

In this age of euthanasia and so-called “assisted suicide,” one cannot overstate the importance of a well-crafted Power of Attorney for Health Care in order to protect you from such practices.

An estate planning attorney with deep expertise can help you with all the foregoing matters. For that reason, we would be pleased to apply our knowledge, skills and experience for the protection of you and your family.

If you need help with Wills, Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney for Property and Powers of Attorney for Health Care (or any other aspect of Estate Planning and Elder Law, including Probate & Trust Administration as well as Medicaid Planning), Farm & Ranch Protection, please contact us at  (402) 421-8686 or rj@estateplansnebraska.com.