COMPREHENSIVE ESTATE PLANNING

The Law Office of Lynette Williams provides a comprehensive array of estate planning services, including specialized estate planning advice for women, parents of minor children, seniors with medical conditions like Alzheimer’s, LGBTQ individuals, and the African American community.  Whatever your age, health, or goals for the future, the Law Office of Lynette Williams can provide the advice you need to develop an estate plan specific for your unique needs.   

Give us a call at 323 251-6011 to get the answers to questions such as:

• What is involved in estate planning?
• When do I need to make an estate plan?
• How can a California estate planning lawyer help?

What is Involved in Estate Planning?

The process of estate planning begins by setting forth your goals. These goals may include:

• Building wealth during your lifetime followed by protecting your assets with strategic planning so you can leave a substantial legacy behind.
• Establishing a plan for your minor children, including appointing the appropriate guardian and someone to effectively manage their financial inheritance.
• Planning in case an illness or injury results in your incapacity.  You want to have control over your medical care and the management of your assets in the event you find yourself in a difficult health situation.
• Handing your business down to the next generation if you are a business owner or have a medical practice.
• Making a comprehensive plan for charitable giving so you can make an important difference in the world while maximizing your tax benefits.
• Creating a comprehensive plan for the transfer of wealth after you die so you can avoid estate tax, allow heirs to inherit in a timely manner, and protect what you have worked for.

The Law Office of Lynette Williams will discuss your current family and financial situation and your projected future plans, as well as discussing other considerations that could affect your estate plan. Once you have worked out your goals, we will assist you by instituting a variety of legal instruments like wills, trusts, durable power of attorney, advanced health care directives, and more.  We start by providing a free consultation to get the ball rolling.  During this consultation, we will discuss your goals and come up with a plan to assist you with carrying out the best strategy to help you make a lasting difference for your family and the world after you are gone.

When Do I Need to Make an Estate Plan?

Since none of us has any idea of how long we will be healthy and alive to be there for our loved ones, it is best to start making an estate plan today if you do not currently one.  Even young people can experience tragic accidents.  While no one likes to think this could happen to them, things will be far worse for you or your loved ones if tragedy strikes without being prepared.

If you wait to make an estate plan and you get hurt or sick or are no longer of sound mind, you won’t be able to express your preferences.  This could throw your family into financial and legal turmoil, struggling to make medical choices, deciding how to pay for medical care, wondering how to get control over assets, or fighting over an inheritance in court.

A legacy of family fighting could be just the beginning of those types problems if something happens to you and you have no estate plan.  The government could end up with a large portion of your estate due to taxes, causing your loved ones to inherit a small portion of your wealth if the majority of it ends up being spent on nursing home care and court costs and fees during estate litigation.

Even in a best case scenario, the default California laws which determine distribution of assets may result in loss of control over your future and loss of control over the inheritance you leave behind.  Don’t let this happen - make your plans now.