Gonzales Estate Planning Lawyer

Gonzales Estate Planning Attorney

Estate planning law can be complex, and it doesn’t help that it is hard to discuss the end of your life or potential incapacitation. Creating a comprehensive estate plan is very important, both for you and your loved ones.

You can minimize the financial and emotional strain on your family with a well-made estate plan. A Gonzales estate planning lawyer is crucial to selecting the right documents in your estate plan and tailoring them to your needs and the needs of your loved ones.

Reliable and Experienced Estate Planning Lawyers in Gonzales

Goode Tax and Estate Planning Law Group, LLC, has more than 40 years of experience in estate planning law. A complete estate plan can give you significant peace of mind about your own future and the future of your family.

Estate plans should be tailored to your assets, where you are in life, and the financial and personal needs of your family. Our firm can provide individualized and clear legal advice throughout the entire creation of your plan.

Carl S. Goode is board-certified in estate planning, as well as in estate administration and tax law. This distinction makes him especially qualified to help you plan for your future with exceptional and respectful advice.

A badly made estate plan can be the same as having no estate plan, but it can add even more complications to the process. You need to ensure your estate plan is enforceable, and we can help with that.

Understanding Estate Planning and Its Importance

An estate plan is a set of documents that allows you to control and protect your assets during your lifetime and prepare for the support of your loved ones after death, among other benefits. Despite the importance of estate planning, many individuals and families have no estate plan, not even a will.

The median income of Gonzales households from 2019 to 2023 was $66,152, and only 49% of American adults with income from $40,000 to $99,999 have a will.

Without an estate plan, your estate, your own medical care, and the financial support of your family members are determined by laws and courts, rather than your own wishes. With an estate plan, you have a say in all of these things and can limit the stress and uncertainty that family members would otherwise face.

What Elements Are Part of an Estate Plan?

An estate plan can include several documents, and these documents can vary based on your specific needs. However, there are some documents that are frequently used in a comprehensive estate plan, including:

1. Last wills and testaments. A will is a fundamental estate planning document. It must meet specific requirements to be enforceable in court and be well-made. Your will can distribute assets that go through succession, state your wishes for your funeral, and list your preferences for the guardians of your minor children.
2. Trusts. Your estate plan can include one or multiple trusts, depending on your needs. When you create a trust, the assets in it stay in the ownership of the trust and the appointed trustee when you die, meaning the assets do not go through the succession process. You can also better control when, how, and why assets are removed from the trust by beneficiaries. Some types of trusts also help protect your assets during your life and after your death.
3. Powers of attorney. Power of attorney documents give another person the ability to make important decisions for you. In an estate plan, you usually include a durable power of attorney, meaning this person has control of those choices when you are incapacitated and unable to make them yourself. You may provide healthcare power of attorney or financial power of attorney to someone you trust.
4. Advance directives. This document lists your wishes for healthcare in situations where you can’t make those decisions for yourself. It gives you control over end-of-life care and many other medical circumstances.

An estate plan could also include guardianship nominations, business succession plans, and many other documents. Creating all of these documents according to the legal requirements can be complicated, but it is much easier with the right legal guidance.

FAQs

How Much Do Estate Planning Lawyers Charge Per Hour?

Every estate planning lawyer charges different rates, but the average hourly rate of wills and estates lawyers is $297 in Louisiana. However, the hourly rate of the attorney you work with may be much higher or lower depending on their experience, location, and the complexity of your estate. It also depends on the legal service you are requesting. For simpler estate planning services, some attorneys may charge a flat fee. Always talk to your attorney upfront about costs.

What Is the Difference Between a Real Estate Lawyer and an Estate Planning Lawyer?

The main difference between a real estate lawyer and an estate planning lawyer is that a real estate lawyer deals with transactions between the buyers and sellers of real estate, while an estate planning lawyer helps individuals and families plan the management and distribution of their own estate. Estate planning lawyers can help create wills, trusts, and other crucial documents that help protect assets during someone’s lifetime and after their death.

What Are the Seven Steps in the Estate Planning Process?

Every estate planning process is different, but some useful steps include:

1. Inventory your assets
2. Determine your estate planning goals
3. Consider the specific needs of your different beneficiaries
4. Review your state and parish laws about estate planning
5. List the distribution of your assets in a will and/or a trust
6. Create a living will that outlines your end-of-life care wishes
7. Review your estate plan every few years or after big life changes

How Do You Interview an Estate Planning Attorney?

In order to determine whether an estate planning attorney is right for you, ensure they have the experience and abilities necessary and that you feel comfortable. Some important questions to ask include:

1. How long have you worked in estate planning?
2. What other areas of law do you practice, and how do those areas support estate planning law?
3. Do you work with other professionals such as financial planners and accountants?
4. What is your estate planning process?

Work With a Legal Team With Integrity

Estate plans let you plan for incapacitation, care for your loved ones, and protect your assets. Let the team at Goode Tax and Estate Planning Law Group, LLC, help you outline your estate planning goals and determine how to effectively support those goals. Contact us today.