Trusts fine tune your estate to ensure that your heirs enjoy the best benefits of your legacy.

Everyone should have a will. If you die without one, the state, through its court system determines who gets your assets. The needs and desires of your family may or may not be a part of the court's considerations in determining who gets what. Your will can prevent that from happening.

Your will as part of an overall plan

Your will, spelling out the way you want your assets distributed, can be the first step in an effective estate plan. The people lawyers of the Baim Law firm are deeply experienced in will preparation and can prepare wills for you and for your spouse. Give us call and find out more.

How can a trust work for me?

However necessary, a will may not completely address the unique needs of your estate and your family. Trusts, on the other hand, may address specific issues to make certain your family enjoys the maximum benefits of what you've worked to provide them.

There is a common misconception that trusts are only for the rich and famous. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many families can benefit from trusts. If your total assets are in the $100,000 range, you may benefit from a trust as part of your estate plan.

In broad terms, the following list gives you an idea of what may be accomplished with trusts as part of an overall estate plan.

• Shelter your assets from inheritance taxes for your heirs
• Shelter proceeds from a life insurance policy from inheritance taxes
• Distribute your assets to a second spouse with the remaining assets distributed to your children upon the death of the second spouse
• Distribute your assets in one of several types of charitable trusts
• Skip a generation to distribute your assets
• Protect your Medicaid eligibility and still use your assets
• Provide benefits from your estate to succeeding generations of your family
• Protect a special needs child
• Address other specific needs unique to you and your family

Call to find out more. Your first meeting is free.

Just how a trust will work for you depends on your specific circumstances, problems and opportunities. Contact Karen Baim Reagler at The Baim Law Firm. As a highly experienced trust lawyer, she can explain the details of how specific types of trusts may work to the benefit of you and your family.