Trusts & Estates

At Aplin & Ringsmuth, LLC, our attorneys can assist you in identifying your estate planning needs and in preparing the necessary documents to bring your estate plan into being.

You may not realize you need one, but a well thought out estate plan my be your best insurance against unforeseen events, both positive and negative. Effective estate planning is not a simple one-time event. It is not, however, an endless task. Individuals of all ages, professions and income brackets stand to benefit from a well designed estate plan.

While your needs for an estate plan may be unique, the benefit of developing a sound plan for estate is available to anyone willing to take the time to consult with an experienced estate planning attorney at Aplin & Ringsmuth. There is no ‘bad time’ to start planning for retirement, or for your estate. Certainly as you start a family making arrangements to ensure your children are taken care of and provided for is critical. However, even after your children have ‘left the nest’ there are compelling reasons to do sound estate planning.

Estate planning considerations may lead you to make a Will, or a Trust. You might want to create a “Living Will” or a document known as a Power of Attorney, perhaps for Health Care, or perhaps for financial management should you become unable to make certain important legal decisions. These kinds of documents can insure that strangers are not making healthcare and financial decisions on your behalf. The attorneys at Aplin & Ringsmuth can explain these options, help you evaluate your needs, and, when you are ready, prepare the appropriate documents to ensure your wishes are followed.

Tax laws, both federal and state have a large impact on estate planning. While the federal inheritance tax is currently being phased out, the future state of death taxes is unknown. The attorneys at Aplin & Ringsmuth can guide you through the process of designing your estate plan to maximize tax savings, while taking in to account the possibility that the tax laws may change.

Perhaps you have a family farm or a family owned business that has grown in value over the years. Arranging for the smooth passage of important family assets with a minimum of expense and inconvenience is often the goal of a well thought out estate plan. The attorneys at Aplin & Ringsmuth can help you accomplish this.

Estate planning is an ongoing process. As you go through life, your professional and personal situation will change. As these changes occur, your estate planning needs will likely also change. The attorneys at Aplin & Ringsmuth recognize this and will endeavor to assist you to put in place a sound estate plan now, and will continue to assist you in reevaluating that plan as things change. They will help you clarify your own unique circumstances, goals and requirements, and help set a financial and legal course that enables you to more effectively direct your own future.

The attorneys at Aplin & Ringsmuth can provide a complete range of trust and estate planning services. They can offer counsel on issues such as:

• Lifetime gifts
• Asset distribution planning
• Wills
• Probate administration
• Determination of appropriate probate-avoidance measures
• Establishment and administration of trusts such as revocable living trusts, charitable trusts, educational trusts, and minor’s trusts
• Advance planning for healthcare and health-related financial matters, including living wills, healthcare power of attorney and durable financial power of attorney
• Transition and succession planning for privately held businesses
• Guardianships for minors and incompetent individuals
• Charitable giving
• Community and marital property classification
• Retirement planning
• Estate and trust disputes and litigation

Have Aplin & Ringsmuth review your estate planning needs. Their attorneys can provide information on how they can help you chart your legal and financial future.

Your issue may be time sensitive. Please contact our office to set-up your initial consultation. Let's talk.

Contact Us