Estate Planning, Wills, and Trusts
Last Will and Testament in Connecticut
A Will is a written document, generally prepared with the help of an attorney which provides instructions for the disposition of a decedent's (dead person's) property. The term "Last Will and Testament" is simply a more complicated name for a Will.
In order to make your Will a legal document, the Will must:
- Be typewritten or computer generated;
- Expressly state that it’s your will;
- Have the date and your signature;
- Be signed by at least two, or in some states three, witnesses.
- Witnesses must watch you sign the will and they must not be people who inherit anything under the will.
There are lots of times when individuals will die without properly drafting up an estates plan. A lot of these individuals are young and don't think they need one just yet. So to make up for this there is a state law called "intestate succession", which will help sort out property to heirs. So if you didn't make a will before you passed, the state will do it for you.
Power of Attorney in Connecticut
Some people simply are not able to manage their own financial affairs. For these people, there are a number of courses of action, depending on the mental state of the person and the laws of the home state. A popular choice is to obtain a power of attorney, which is a notarized, revocable document allowing you to handle a specific matter or a wider range of affairs. It can involve one or more than one person, but if they are required to act together, getting consensus on how to handle your affairs will, undoubtedly, prove to be irritating and infuriating at times.
There are three types of power of attorney:
(1) a durable power of attorney that remains in effect during incompetence or other disability;
(2) a standby power of attorney that is triggered when there is an incapacity to manage affairs; and
(3) a temporary power of attorney that generally applies only if an emergency arises.
Living Will in Connecticut
Get it right, a living will should be reviewed by a lawyer.
Don't cut corners get legal advice. A Living Will is the popular name for a document spelling out the general kinds of medical care you would want--or not want--in the event you became unable to communicate with your health care providers. Other names for a Living Will are a "medical directive" or "medical declaration". It does NOT impact who gets your property or who is your Personal Representative or Guardian of your minor children.
If your visit to the hospital will include a surgical or medical procedure, it is always wise to have a Living Will on hand. Our office can assist you with the preparation of a Living Will.
When your adult life is just beginning it is hard to think about death, but death is a reality. At some time all of us have to deal with death, and it is an important topic to discuss with your family. When a relative becomes terminally ill and death is imminent, a family can become emotionally frustrated if they do not know the death wishes of the dying family member.
Does the relative want to be kept alive artificially by a machine or die a natural death? Knowing this information you should talk with a living will lawyer or attorney & get the details about the medical care down on paper. Than share it with loved ones and your doctors.
Benefits of Estate Planning
Peace of mind. Estate planning is a difficult task for anyone. But for some, it’s a special challenge. You’ll know that you’ve done everything legally possible to protect each others’ rights.
Tax benefits. When a married person dies, his or her spouse is protected under the law, and a marital deduction is in place that minimizes taxes on the estate. Careful estate planning with a lawyer experiences in estate planning can let you minimize the tax burden a great deal. An experience lawyer will know how to set up wills and estates to keep the estate tax from wiping out everything you’ve worked for.
Funeral planning. When a married person dies, the surviving spouse is automatically legally able to plan deceased person’s funeral and final arrangements.
Long-term care. Often, questions of estates come up long before a person’s death. When someone must be admitted into a nursing home, for instance. Estate planning that leaves room for this possibility can help preserve the ability of couples to make decisions on each others’ behalf.
Children’s care. Estate planning can help provide for children or love ones as per your wishes.
When you get married, unless a prenuptial is signed, the two of you share all assets and properties together. Everything is owned by the both of you. It’s easy to leave everything to your spouse if something were to happen, but if you would like to properly divide everything between the two of you, along with a couple of other beneficiaries, you will need to know what’s yours that can be left behind for the other beneficiaries.
It is very important to understand that a Divorce terminates you Will and Testament. Upon divorce, you are strongly encouraged to Draft a new Will and Testament.
Attorney Greens drafts Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney and Living Wills throughout Hartford, Middlesex, Tolland, New Britain and Windham Counties and the following towns:
Ashford, Eastford, Woodstock, Thompson, Putnam, Pomfret, Chaplin, Hampton, Brooklyn, Sterling, Plainfield, Cantenbury, Scotland, Windham, Somers, Stafford, Union, Ellington, Tolland, Willington, Vernon, Tolland, Bolton, Coventry, Mansfield, Andover, Columbia, Hebron, Burlington, Plymouth, Bristol, Plainville, Southington, Berlin, New Britain, Newington, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, Cromwell, Portland, East Hampton, Middletown, Middlefield, Durham, Haddam, East Haddam, Killingworth, Chester, Deep River, Clinton, Westbrook, OldSaybrook, Granby, Suffield, Enfield, East Granby, Windsor Locks, East Windsor, Canton, Simsbury, Bloomfield, Windsor, East Windsor, South Windsor, Avon, West Hartford, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, Farmington, Glastonbury, Marlborough.
Estate Planning, Wills, and Trusts
