Estate Planning

Many people believe that estate planning is only for  those who are particularly wealthy or elderly.  In fact, estate planning is appropriate for everyone who owns anything or loves anyone.

An estate is everything a person owns or controls  in his or her own name or with someone else.

In additon to providing a plan of distribution following your death, proper estate planning helps avoid the publicity and expense of guardianship/conservatorship proceedings if you become disabled so that your hard earned assets can be used to take care of you and your loved ones the way you want rather than turning your affairs over to the courts.


 A good estate plan would permit you to: 
  • Keep control of your property while you are alive and well
  • Care for yourself and your loved ones if you become disabled
  • Give what you have to whom you want, in the manner you want, and when you want
  • Reduce taxes, court costs, and attorney fees and other professional fees as much as possible
The basic documents usually include: 
  • One or more revocable living trusts that contain the client's own personal planning for the client and for the client's family
  • Powers of attorney for trust funding
  • Powers of attorney for  health care decisions
  • Ancillary documents as might be appropriate
More sophisticated wealth strategies often include one or more of the following:
  • Family limited partnership strategies
  • Irrevocable life insurance trusts
  • Unregulated Wyoming private trust companies
  • Charitable strategies
  • Qualified personal residence trusts
  • Grantor retained trusts
  • Dynasty trusts
  • Domestic and off-shore strategies
If you want to provide responsibly for your own well being and for the well being of those you love, if you seek to make a difference in the lives of others while you are living or after you are gone, and if you would like to learn how to accomplish your goals the way you want, you should contact C. David Clauss immediately so you can discover how easy, understandable, satisfying and rewarding proper estate planning can be.