Lexington, MA Estate Planning Attorneys to Protect Your Legacy

With a vibrant community atmosphere, and favorite local hotspots like Wilson Farm and Munroe Tavern, many Lexington families are so busy living their lives, they put off thinking about planning for the future. Since few of us want to think about our eventual death or incapacitation, this is not really all that surprising.

Like many adult tasks, estate planning is something we all need to consider. For many reasons, estate planning should be made a priority, no matter your age, health, or level of assets. When you spend time determining how your legacy will continue and how your loved ones will be taken care of you will find it brings significant peace of mind.

At Family Estate Planning Law Group, we understand hesitancy and procrastination when it comes to estate planning and end-of-life planning. That being said, the additional pain and financial hardship experienced by Lexington families whose loved ones failed to plan is heartbreaking. It is equally important to recognize that if a Will is the sum total of your estate plan, your estate will absolutely be subject to probate.

The probate process can be lengthy, costly, and frustrating for those left behind. Beneficiaries must wait to receive their inheritance, there is a high exposure to tax burdens, and creditors may come knocking at the door to receive their share of your estate. Conversely, when estate and asset protection strategies are firmly in place, the probate process can be avoided, or significantly minimized (generally through the use of a trust).

If you have put off estate planning, now is the time! While there are plenty of estate planning law firms out there, at FEPLG we believe we have gone several steps further to make the process comfortable and easy. We wholeheartedly believe in our slogan—Together We Plan for Life®. Rather than a firm that will draw up a Will for you and call it good, we believe in holistic estate planning.

Holistic estate planning almost always involves trust-based planning. Beyond the mechanics of building your estate plan, at FEPLG we build long-term relationships with our clients through our ongoing client care program, which incorporates our unique SAVeT™ and Family Care Meeting™ systems. Don’t wait—the time is now, and FEPLG has a legal team that is familiar with Lexington estate planning needs.

Learn More About Estate Planning That Changes With Your Life

Estate planning is NOT an event, it is a process. We have developed a unique system to help you simplify, providing a smoother overall process.

Learn More About Our SAVeT™ System

What Is Estate Planning?

The basic premise of estate planning is to determine how your property and assets get distributed in the event of your death. This process also makes it possible to decide how you want your estate managed during your lifetime if you should become incapacitated and unable to make decisions for yourself.

Aside from the division of property, working with the experienced estate planning FEPLG team can help you minimize or eliminate state and federal estate taxes. In addition to this critical component, planning an estate often involves other aspects of law, including:

  • Advanced health care proxies
  • Business succession
  • Legal guardianship of minor children or special needs family members
  • Asset protection for your children
  • Payment of funeral expenses
  • Estate protection from creditors

Careful estate planning ensures that your assets will not go through the Massachusetts probate process. This court-supervised process is costly, time-consuming, and painful for Lexington families. Whether you have a Will or have no Will, your estate will have to go through probate before your loved ones can receive their inheritance. Subjecting your family to this process means a lot of work, frustration, and fees that could be avoided with careful planning.

Should I Do My Own Estate Planning?

It may be tempting to do your own estate plan. We live in a DIY world, and you have probably seen online kits that claim to allow you to avoid paying an estate planning attorney. This is virtually never a solid plan of action. Not only can one mistake invalidate your entire estate plan, but an estate plan is a comprehensive concept rather than a sheet of paper with your wishes typed on it.  Contrary to what we see in the media, estate planning entails a lot more than just documents, which is why we here at FEPLG have an ongoing client care program.

Preparing your own estate plan requires a deep understanding of state and federal estate planning laws—something few of us have. If you would not set your own broken arm, or rebuild your transmission, then you understand why having a knowledgeable estate planning attorney in your corner is important.

Choosing to use an estate planning attorney may seem expensive at first. Yet when you look at the big picture you can see the cost is definitely worth the peace of mind.  Finally, our team of legal professionals provides you with something a DIY estate kit cannot: an ongoing relationship that ensures asset protection strategies for generations.

How Estate Planners Can Help You Plan

When trying to plan for your estate, it quickly becomes clear that there are many aspects to consider. Knowing which of these are appropriate for your unique circumstances can be a challenge. The Family Estate Planning Law Group team ensures you receive the asset protection you need while protecting your final wishes and your interests.

Whether you need to create, overhaul, or update your estate plan, the FEPLG legal estate planning team can help. After our initial complimentary consultation meeting with you, our SAVeT™ System is implemented. The SAVeT™ System includes:

  • Simplify/Consolidation—Our team assists you in consolidating assets before the asset alignment meeting. With fewer overall assets, there is a lower chance of probate and a more efficient estate plan.
  • Align—Assets are then aligned with the estate plan, including things like beneficiary designations, Powers of Attorney, and more.
  • Verify—Alignment is verified with institutions to prevent surprises.
  • Track—Ongoing, we track your assets to ensure alignment and verification stay current.

Later, our Family Care Meeting™ allows us to introduce your estate plan to your family members, loved ones, and advisors. We will always make sure your assets are correctly aligned with your estate plan so everything works together as it should. Our relationship-based focus goes back to our slogan: Together We Plan for Life ®. Since we consider our clients family, updating your estate plan following life milestones like marriage, divorce, death, birth, or changes in assets are an integral part of our services.

Speak With the Knowledgeable Attorneys of Family Estate Planning Law Group

Since 1990, the Family Estate Planning Law Group team has provided comprehensive estate planning and elder law services to families seeking to provide a lasting legacy of support for their loved ones. We understand this is a sensitive subject, and our team members ensure your experience puts you at ease. Our goal is to build lifelong relationships with our clients. This allows us to fully understand your wishes for yourself, your spouse, children, and grandchildren following your death or incapacitation.

By taking on the responsibility of evaluating the scope of your estate plan needs, we can help alleviate any uncertainty you may have. FEPLG will work with you to determine the right approach to minimize financial risks to your family for the long-term after you are gone.

Interested in scheduling a complimentary consultation? Contact us today to learn more about how our unique programs can benefit you and your loved ones. We invite you to explore our blog and schedule your free consultation today!