Estate Planning

Connecticut Estate Planning Lawyers

Wills • Trusts • Health Care Directives

As Northwest Connecticut estate planning lawyers, we help people plan for the unexpected, avoid tax implications, and pass property to their desired beneficiaries in the most efficient manner possible.

Slavin, Stauffacher & Scott, L.L.C., has represented clients of Litchfield County and surrounding areas for fifty-five years. We draft comprehensive and individualized estate plans that express your wishes in clear language to avoid family disputes and probate delays.

Many young people think they don't need a will or fear they can't afford it. However, properly prepared wills and trusts protect your assets and provide for your family in the event of sudden death or a long-term illness. We tailor each estate plan to the individual client and do not sell complex plans to people who don't need them.

Your Estate Plan

An Estate Plan includes several important components:

• Your Will - A notarized declaration of who should inherit each of your assets. (In the absence of a will, a Probate Court will order a distribution of your estate according to state intestacy law).
• Your Durable Power of Attorney - An appointment of someone to manage your affairs if you are incapacitated (mentally or physically)
• Your Living Will - Expresses your wishes about life support and appoints a representative to make medical and life support decisions on your behalf
• Your Medical Information Release – A HIPAA authorization that will allow those family members to choose to receive confidential medical information from your health care providers.

Trusts to Preserve and Control Assets

Trusts are not appropriate for every client. The knowledgeable attorneys of Slavin, Stauffacher & Scott, L.L.C., can establish a trust that matches your individual goals and concerns, such as:

• Special needs trust for dependents (including adult children) with a mental or physical disability: appoints a Trustee to make financial decisions for that person, and protects his or her eligibility for Social Security and Medicaid.
• Minor child trust: stipulates how assets will be distributed to children (e.g., annual stipends vs. a lump sum at age 18)
• A revocable living trust which allows assets to pass directly to your spouse or other loved one at death, avoiding probate proceedings. A revocable trust can also be used to hold title to your out-of-state property thus avoiding probate in that other state.
• Charitable trust to endow a favorite charity

Slavin, Stauffacher & Scott, L.L.C., assists clients with gifting of assets to minimize federal and Connecticut Estate Tax consequences. We ensure the proper filing of federal and Connecticut tax returns relating to gifts (709), estate and trust income (1041), and death (706).

Contact our Connecticut estate planning lawyers today to arrange a free initial consultation. We can come to you, or meet you at our offices in Watertown and Woodbury.