Estate Planning & Administration

Estate Planning & Administration

A well-devised estate plan can perform a wide range of vital functions. Such a plan can  provide for the smooth transfer of assets to your heirs, ensure wishes regarding extraordinary medical procedures and end-of-life decisions are respected, and allow you to decide who will manage your financial affairs should you become mentally incapacitated. The estate planning attorneys at The Crisp Law Firm, PLLC offer sound legal advice, comprehensive planning strategies, carefully crafted estate planning documents, and effective estate administration based on four decades  of experience.

Four Decades of Crafting Effective Estate Plans

Estate planning services are not free. The cost, however, is often nominal when compared to the price of not having an effective estate plan in place.  When a person dies intestate (i.e. without a will or trust), their assets may not end up in the  hands of those they wish to benefit, and they may be saddled with complicated, contested probate proceedings.

An effective estate plan can provide mechanisms to protect your assets from the creditors of your heirs after you pass. Such a plan will also include documents that indicate who you want to be responsible for your business and financial affairs, as well as medical decisions should you become mentally incapacitated by a serious accident or illness.  It can also identify who you would want to be guardian of your minor children in the event mother and father are lost in a common disaster. Finally, a will or trust can ensure that the wealth that you have spent a lifetime building is transferred to your loved ones in accordance with your wishes.

Save your family members money and time when they are coping with the emotional hardship of your loss. Dying without a will means burdening your family with the legal complexities, costs, and the delay of the probate process. While it’s easy to assume that you do not need an estate plan unless you have substantial assets, most people can benefit from incapacity planning and the reduced cost of transferring assets.

Skillfully Drafted Estate Planning Documents & Comprehensive Estate Plans

Some of the documents that our skilled New Hampshire estate planning attorneys might draft include:

  • Simple Wills: A will specifies how you wish your property and assets to be transferred upon your death. Wills must be submitted for probate, which can be costly and time-consuming. The can identify your preference for guardian of minor children in the event neither parent is alive. While a simple will may be part of a comprehensive estate plan, our New Hampshire estate planning attorneys often use other mechanisms to transfer assets to avoid the delay, administrative hassle, and cost associated with the probate process.
  • Revocable Trusts: A trust is a legal document that creates an arrangement where a person, referred to as the “trustee,” holds legal title to property for the benefit of another, referred to as the “beneficiary.” There are many different kinds of trusts, but they often have advantages over wills. These advantages might include avoiding the cost of probate, protecting assets from creditors, and reducing tax obligations. Living trusts also preserve a family’s privacy regarding its assets and financial affairs.
  • Advance Directive: An Advance Directive allows you to indicate what medical procedures and extraordinary medical care you wish to have performed should you become terminally ill or permanently unconscious. It enables you to designate who you want making healthcare decisions for you in the event you become mentally incapacitated.
  • Powers of Attorney: A durable financial power of attorney may deal with financial affairs. It allows you to designate someone to act on your behalf when you’re unavailable or become mentally or physically incapacitated. A power of attorney can cover financial affairs, including signing contracts, paying bills, filing taxes, disposing of assets, and the like.

New Hampshire Probate Administration

Allow our attorneys to carefully evaluate your financial situation and discuss your wishes, With this insight, we can develop the most efficient cost-effective estate plan for your needs. We can also conduct an inventory of estate assets, assist in determining the value of real and personal property, satisfy debts, and distribute proceeds according to the terms of your will. We diligently advocate for our client while resolving disputes without promoting deep, lasting animosity between family members.

New Hampshire Probate Administration

Allow our attorneys to carefully evaluate your financial situation and discuss your wishes, With this insight, we can develop the most efficient cost-effective estate plan for your needs. We can also conduct an inventory of estate assets, determine the value of real and personal property, satisfy debts and tax liabilities, and distribute proceeds according to the terms of your will. We diligently advocate for our client while resolving disputes without promoting deep, lasting animosity between family members.

Contact the Crisp Law Firm, PLLC Now to Safeguard Your Future

At the Crisp Law Firm, PLLC, our experienced estate planning and estate administration lawyers recognize the importance of prompt responses to client inquiries, skilled estate planning, and persuasive advocacy during contested probate proceedings. We invite you to call us at 603-225-5252 or to contact us online to set up a confidential consultation.