Why Ruth P. George Law PLLC?
Estate planning can be so overwhelming, and we consider it our job to lighten the load. We educate where we can, and make sure that you know what it is that you are actually doing... what you are actually creating with all this planning. We strive to break things down bit by bit to make them a little easier to digest, to make all the legal speak a little less intimidating for people, so that you can concern yourself a little more about you and your family and a little less about what document you just signed. Our goal with our News Desk is to break down complex topics into clear, manageable pieces of information. It's not only that knowledge is power, it's that planning is power. By educating yourself on these critical matters, you can make informed decisions that will have a lasting impact on yourself and your loved ones. Our mission is to empower you with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the intricate world of estate planning, probate, and trust and estate administration, and all the little details and documents associated with these items.
What You Can Expect
Over the months, we plan to do a deep dive into some of our favorite topics related to estate planning, probate, and trust and estate administration, including:
- Estate Planning: Comprehensive guides on creating legal documents, including a will, power of attorney, health care proxy/living will and more, along with establishing lifetime trusts, and making other arrangements, including beneficiary designations. All the pieces of the puzzle need to be thought of to make life better for you and your loved ones. And, the world of estate planning includes more than legal documents, but things like communication and teamwork (spoiler alert!). It all factors in to how you can better protect you and your loved ones, and, of course, ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
- Probate: Understanding the probate process, how it works, and ways to potentially avoid it to ensure a smoother transition for your beneficiaries or heirs. There is a lot of misunderstanding about probate. It’s best to think of it in two ways, the big picture and the smaller phases to work through.
- Estate Administration: This phrase is used to consider all the phrases of handling an estate in Surrogate’s Court and looking at the responsibilities of an executor (or an administrator - but will get into that later!). You can think of the executor (or an administrator) as the “head enchilada” of an estate - the person or entity who makes crucial decisions and can make all the difference on how the estate administration will flow. Eventually, this person’s effective management of the estate leads to the distribution of estate assets (property, money, etc.) to the appropriate parties. Or another way to say that is the executor (or an administrator) gives people (and other potential beneficiaries) their inheritance.
- Guardianship: Exploring how to nominate guardians for minor children, and specific situations that might make this more complicated than you'd think.
- Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts: Understanding the differences, benefits, and additional items to consider for each type of trust.
- Wills and Trusts: Thinking about what do you actually need, what might make your life easier, and what might make everything simpler and more streamlined for you and your family during your life and upon your passing.
- And Much More: We’ll also touch on “soft topics” like establishing communication with your family, asking for help from professionals, and creating good teamwork with people as part of planning for the future. As well, there are a range of topics that will be considered. From planning for business interests to estate and income tax strategies to planning for incapacity, and other related legal matters, it’s a matter of knowing how to safeguard all you care about - you, your loved ones and your assets. Your loved ones can be pets, charities, friends, family and so on. As well, planning for business interests is crucial as various people can be affected, including you, your family, your employees and the community (and we want the planning to contribute to a positive affect on all!).
Haste makes waste and we want to take the time to learn and act to ensure our planning puts our best foot forward . . . and, of course, ensure that your legacy goes where you want it to go at the time of your passing.
Stay Tuned!
We invite you to follow along with us and check back here often for new posts. We’ll be sharing updates, answering common questions, and providing tips that can help you navigate the often complex world of estate planning.If you have any specific topics you’d like us to cover, or if you have questions about your own estate planning needs,
please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Thank you for visiting with us! We look forward to helping you on your journey toward peace of mind and financial security for you and your loved ones.
RUTH P. GEORGE LAW PLLC is a privately owned boutique estate planning & probate law office located in Williamsville, New York.
Learn more about us and our mission here!
