what a good connecticut estate planning attorney should do for you

by Evert Rath 5 min read

By planning your estate, you can maximize its value by minimizing taxes and eliminating court costs and interference. Estate planning attorneys also help you control and protect your estate during your lifetime, by writing documents that allow you to transfer property and money to children, charities, or others in a way you desire.

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How to find a good estate planning attorney?

Your estate planning attorney is responsible for making sure you know what your homework is, who is responsible for what documents and decisions, and what the next steps are. Bischof and Bischof LLP helps Connecticut families ensure they pass on as much wealth as possible to future generations and gives families peace of mind through proper estate planning designed to …

How to file a will in probate court in CT?

Connecticut estate planning attorneys "Estate" is the legal term used to define your property and money—basically, everything that belongs to you. Estate planning attorneys tell you different strategies you can use to transfer your belongings after you die. By planning your estate, you can maximize its value by minimizing taxes and eliminating court costs and interference.

Where can I find an attorney for a trust or estate?

Estate planning lawyers help people write instructions for the future handling of their property, finances, healthcare, and the future support and care of their loved ones. Use FindLaw to hire a local estate planning lawyer near you to establish a guardianship, draft documents like wills, trusts, and durable power of attorney for healthcare.

How is the Connecticut estate tax calculated?

Find & Compare the Best Estate Planning Lawyers in Connecticut on Lawrina Comprehensive Lawyer Profiles 🏅 Client Reviews ⏩ Get Your Consultation Now.

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What are the five most important estate planning documents?

5 Essential Estate Planning Documents
  1. Last Will and Testament. This legal document is the foundation for a successful estate plan. ...
  2. Living Trust. ...
  3. Durable Power of Attorney (POA) ...
  4. Healthcare Power of Attorney (POA) ...
  5. Living Will.
Jul 7, 2021

How do I choose an estate planning attorney?

5 Tips for Choosing an Estate Planning Attorney
  1. Make a list of your specific needs. Before you even begin trying to find an Estate Planning attorney, it's important that you understand your needs. ...
  2. Ask friends and family. ...
  3. Search locally. ...
  4. Take time to interview your prospects. ...
  5. Use online Estate Planning services instead.

What are four things to consider in estate planning?

A comprehensive estate plan includes four estate planning documents. These documents include a will, a financial power of attorney, an advance care directive, and a living trust.May 2, 2022

What assets should be considered when planning your estate?

Here is an estate planning checklist of items every estate plan should include:
  • Will/trust.
  • Durable power of attorney.
  • Beneficiary designations.
  • Letter of intent.
  • Healthcare power of attorney.
  • Guardianship designations.

What is a revocable living trust?

A revocable living trust is a trust document created by an individual that can be changed over time. Revocable living trusts are used to avoid probate and to protect the privacy of the trust owner and beneficiaries of the trust as well as minimize estate taxes.

What is the estate planning process?

Estate planning involves determining how an individual's assets will be preserved, managed, and distributed after death. It also takes into account the management of an individual's properties and financial obligations in the event that they become incapacitated.

What should be in a death folder?

Next, create a death folder checklist. This will cover all the important documents and information you'll need to get before you start.
...
Start planning
  1. Will.
  2. Living trust.
  3. Power of attorney.
  4. Life insurance policy.
  5. Birth certificate.
  6. Marriage license.
  7. Bank and credit card accounts.
  8. Loan documents.

What are the four must have documents?

This online program includes the tools to build your four "must-have" documents:
  • Will.
  • Revocable Trust.
  • Financial Power of Attorney.
  • Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare.

Will preparation checklist?

The ultimate will preparation checklist
  • List out your assets.
  • Account for debts and taxes.
  • Choose your beneficiaries.
  • Appoint an executor.
  • Name a guardian.
  • Gather your witnesses.
  • Additional estate planning tools.

What are the most important things to put in a will?

What are the Most Important Things to Put in a Will?
  • Personal Information. This should go without saying, but your will should include basic information about you to be official. ...
  • Last Will and Testament Verbiage. ...
  • Property and Assets. ...
  • Beneficiaries. ...
  • Executor. ...
  • Guardianship. ...
  • Signatures.

How do you get something in order before death checklist?

Estate Planning: 11 Things to Do Before You Die
  1. Gather Important Documents and Contact Information. ...
  2. Execute a Last Will and Testament. ...
  3. Complete a Living Will or Advance Directive. ...
  4. Put in Place a Power of Attorney. ...
  5. Establish a Living Trust. ...
  6. Update Your Beneficiaries. ...
  7. Secure Your Digital Assets. ...
  8. Plan Final Arrangements.
May 2, 2022

When a husband dies what is the wife entitled to?

Under Hindu Law: the wife has a right to inherit the property of her husband only after his death if he dies intestate. Hindu Succession Act, 1956 describes legal heirs of a male dying intestate and the wife is included in the Class I heirs, and she inherits equally with other legal heirs.

Stanger Stanfield Law, LLC

Offering legal solutions since 1977 with experience handling legal malpractice, professinal malpractice, truck crashes, personal injury, business issues or planning for your ... Read More#N#family's future.

Abate & Abate LLC

Over 30 years of experience in Real Estate transactions, Litigation, Estate Planning and Business transactions.

Cramer & Ahern

General Civil Practice. Real Estate, Negligence, Probate, Estate Planning, Corporation, Art Law.

Howard, Kohn, Sprague & FitzGerald, LLP

A Law Firm practicing Estate Planning law.#N#Howard, Kohn, Sprague & FitzGerald, LLP, one of the oldest law firms in the country, was founded in 1786 and has been in continuous ... Read More#N#practice since that time. The firm provides a diverse

Jackson O'Keefe LLP

Insurance defense, trial and accident injury attorneys, serving Connecticut since the 1950s. Also providing representation for divorce, residential and commercial real estate, ... Read More#N#estate planning and wills, probate, DUI, and medical malpractice

RWC, LLC, Attorneys and Counselors at Law

A Law Firm practicing Estate Planning law.#N#RWC, LLC, Attorneys and Counselors at Law is a full-service firm whose areas of practice include business law, elder law and wills and ... Read More#N#probate law. Our clients trust us to handle a wide

Murphy, Laudati, Kiel & Rattigan, LLC

A Law Firm practicing Estate Planning law.#N#Individuals, businesses and families throughout the Farmington Valley come to MLK&R for comprehensive, solution-oriented and ... Read More#N#successful resolution of legal issues. Every attorney at MLK&R

Is Carmine a member of the Connecticut Bar?

District Court, District of Connecticut in 2005, and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011. Carmine is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association... Read More »

What to expect when meeting with Lynda?

When you meet with Lynda, you’ll notice immediately her gentle approach and calm demeanor. You’re not just working with an attorney who is creating your Will, trust, or completing your Medicaid application, you’re working with a compassionate person who wants to know you and your story.

Do attorneys do estate planning?

There are many attorneys that say that they do estate planning. And of course there are many that do. The real question to ask however is “do they practice exclusively in this area of the law”? Just as there are doctors that specialize in certain areas of medicine such as general practice, cardiology or oncology, there are attorneys that are generalists and ones that limit their practices to a specific area of the law. The benefit to this is that the attorney is much more likely to be abreast of the current law and issues that surround that practice area. They are also more likely to correctly identify areas that could be problems down the road if the proper planning is not done.

How many tiers are there in law school?

Just like any other school, law schools that are harder to get into have higher standards and only accept the best students. There are four (4) tiers in the law school ranking system with the first tier being at the top and hardest to get into. Ask the attorney where he or she went to law school. 10.

Where to file a notice for land records in Connecticut?

The fiduciary must file a “Notice for Land Records/Appointment of Fiduciary” form with the town clerk in each town in Connecticut where real estate owned by the decedent is located . The form is obtained from the court.

Who is responsible for paying taxes on an estate?

In addition, a decedent may owe other taxes, such as income taxes and property taxes. The executor or administrator is responsible for filing necessary tax returns and paying taxes in connection with the estate.

What is a family hearing?

The hearing is an opportunity for family members and other interested parties to ask questions or state their positions. There are three options for the hearing: (1) The court may send notice to all parties informing them of the time and place of the hearing.

What happens if a party requests a hearing?

If a party requests a hearing, the court will send notice and hold a hearing. If no hearing is requested, the court may, without the presence of the parties, issue a decree on or after the decree entry date specified in the notice.

Who appoints the executor of a will?

The court formally appoints the executor named in the Will when the Will is admitted to probate. If the estate is intestate, the court appoints an administrator. The court generally requires the executor or administrator to provide a probate bond and the court sets the amount. However, the court may dispense with the requirement of a bond if one ...

What is the responsibility of a fiduciary?

The first responsibility of the fiduciary is to gather the assets of the estate and place them under his or her control. For example, the fiduciary should transfer any bank accounts from the decedent’s name into an estate account. Stock certificates need not be registered in the name of the estate, although the transfer agents should be notified and instructed to send dividends in care of the fiduciary. Utility companies need to be notified of the decedent’s death and accounts that will remain open should be transferred to the estate. Any dwellings, seasonal homes, etc. should be secured, protected from the elements and insured.

How is the value of real estate determined?

The value of real estate may be determined in one of several ways, including: (1) A written appraisal. (2) A comparative market analysis by a real estate agent. (3) The assessed value from the local tax assessor, adjusted to reflect 100 percent of the fair market value.

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