Scottsdale Estate Planning Attorney

A living trust is like a special suitcase where you can put your stuff (like money, house, and other belongings) while you're still alive. You choose someone (called a trustee) to take care of the suitcase and the stuff inside it. While you are alive and well, you are usually your own trustee. After you die, the successor trustee steps into your shoes and gives the stuff in the box to the people you want to have it (called beneficiaries).

The major benefit of a living trust is that it helps avoid a time-consuming and public process called probate, making it easier and faster for your beneficiaries to get your stuff after you're gone with the least chance of family strife or litigation.

A special kind of will that works together with a living trust. It's a document you create to make sure any assets you didn't put into the trust while you were alive are transferred into it after you pass away. This way, everything gets managed by the trust and goes to the people you want to receive it (the beneficiaries). The pour-over will help catch any assets you might have missed and make sure they're handled according to your plan.

A financial power of attorney is a document where you choose someone you trust to handle your money if you can't do it yourself, like if you're super sick or injured. This person, called your financial agent, will take care of things like paying your bills, managing your bank accounts, and even making investment decisions for you. It's a way to make sure your finances are in good hands when you're not able to handle them on your own.

A healthcare power of attorney is a document where you pick someone you trust to make medical decisions for you if you can't do it yourself, like if you're in an accident or really sick. This person, called your healthcare agent, will talk to your doctors and nurses about your treatment options and choose what's best for you based on your wishes. When you can't speak up for yourself, it’s a way to make sure someone who knows you well is in charge of your healthcare.

A living will is a document where you write down your choices about medical treatments if you get really sick or hurt and can't make decisions for yourself. It helps doctors and nurses know what you're okay with and what you don't want when it comes to end-of-life care, like being on life support or getting resuscitated. Having a living will makes sure your wishes are followed when you're not able to speak up for yourself.

HIPAA authorizations are documents that let you give permission to your doctors and other healthcare providers to share your private medical information with specific people, like family members or friends. This way, if you're sick or hurt and can't communicate, the people you trust can stay in the loop about your health and help make decisions for you. It makes sure your privacy is protected while allowing your loved ones to be involved in your care when needed.

A document where you decide who gets your physical belongings, like furniture, jewelry, or art, after you pass away. It's a way to make sure your favorite things go to the right people and can help avoid any arguments among your loved ones. By listing out your items and choosing who should get them, you can have peace of mind knowing your possessions will be given to the people you care about.

A document that moves legal title of your home from your name into the trust you've set up. By doing this, your home can be managed by the person in charge of the trust (the trustee). When you pass away, the trustee can easily distribute your home to the people you want to have it (the beneficiaries), without going through the lengthy probate process. This transfer makes it simpler and quicker for your loved ones to handle your home after you're gone.

A guide to help you transfer your assets, such as your house, money, or investments, into a trust you've set up. These instructions explain which assets should go into the trust and how to actually transfer them, making sure everything is in the right place. By following these instructions, you make it easier for the person in charge of the trust (the trustee) to manage your assets and distribute them to the people you want to have them (the beneficiaries) when the time comes.