National Wills Lawyers Based in Indiana Helping You Safeguard Your Assets

When you think of protecting your assets after your death, what comes to mind?

Right now, 67 percent of Americans are walking around without an estate plan. In death, this means their hard-earned assets will be given to the courts to distribute as they see fit.

This might not be what you have in mind, but without legal guidance and support, it’s the reality.

There’s a great number of things life and business throw at us that we can’t control. But implementing a will or estate plan to protect your finances, business, hard-earned assets, and your family is one thing we can control.

Safeguarding your valuable possessions and the people you love most is a choice. It’s simply good business.

Our wills lawyers with Katie Charleston Law, P.C. can help you determine the best course of action for your financial future, from wills to trusts and other estate planning strategies and tools that will keep your most valuable assets safe long after you’re gone.

You, your business, and your family—everything you’ve worked so hard for—is worth protecting when you’re here and when you’re gone.

What is a Will?

A will is a legal document that states who will inherit your assets and belongings after you pass away. Some people also refer to a will as a “last will and testament,” given it includes your final wishes, funeral arrangements, and any other end-of-life requests.

A will is also an important tool for designating a primary caregiver for your minor children or a beneficiary for taking over your business should you pass away, or become incapacitated.

When you establish a will, you assign a primary executor to facilitate your will and distribute your assets, according to your instruction. A will only go into effect after death, never before.

The key components of a will typically include:

• Personal letter of intent
• Beneficiaries and alternative beneficiaries
• Primary guardian and alternative guardian for minor children
• Additional provisions related to minor children such as managing bank accounts or properties for a certain period
• Designated funds for volunteer organizations and charities
• A clear plan for distributing property, businesses, money, and other assets

Our Indiana wills lawyers with Katie Charleston Law, P.C. can offer step-by-step guidance in designing a will that suits your needs and meets your goals.

What is an Estate Plan, and is a Will Part of it?

An estate plan is a comprehensive plan that includes a collection of legal documents, from trusts to wills to guardianship designations and more. Think of estate planning as a holistic strategy for all of your assets in life and business, from simple to complex.

On that note, your “estate” includes a variety of valuable assets—vehicles, businesses, rental properties, investments, savings accounts, personal belongings, and other items. A will, as part of an estate plan, is a key tool in designating a caregiver for your minor children and outlining final wishes and end-of-life arrangements.

You’ll find an estate plan includes several important considerations in your best interest. It is a collection of legally binding documents specifically created to protect your family’s future while preserving your legacy:

• A will
• Named executor
• Guardianship designations
• A living trust, if applicable
• Healthcare power of attorney
• Beneficiary designations
• Durable power of attorney
• Personal letter of intent

A will is a basic and important tool as part of end-of-life planning and our wills lawyers can help you with the clear and concise preparation of your last will and testament, as well as create an estate plan to help you avoid costly probate.

What Can a Wills Lawyer Do for Me?

Our wills lawyers can help you create your will, which declares how you want your possessions to be distributed after your death.

A will, however, is only one piece of the estate plan puzzle. As a standalone legal document, a will and testament sometimes don’t hold up in court and they’re always subject to the probate process, regardless. This can be a costly and tiring process for your family.

Our wills lawyers can help you draft and file your will, and also can prevent or litigate complex probate situations as they arise.

From a planning perspective, it might give you added peace of mind knowing that our lawyers take a comprehensive approach to estate planning, which includes wills, trusts, and other legal documents that can help secure your legacy.

This information is important as some wills lawyers only exclusively deal in wills, which could be problematic if you want to expand your will or build an estate plan with a trust. We can help you with the preparation of your will, trust, or estate plan, navigate the probate process and offer litigation should your will or estate plan be contested.

In other words, a turnkey solution for all of your estate planning needs.

Plan Your Will and Book a Free Consultation

Protecting your life’s work, family and business is our livelihood. We’re devoted to helping you navigate some of life’s greatest challenges. And with it, our goal is to eliminate as much conflict and burden from your loved ones as possible while protecting your assets and legacy.

Our focus at Katie Charleston Law, P.C. is broader asset protection and full-service, turnkey estate planning solutions.

In other words, we aim for partnerships rather than in-the-moment transactions. Not only does this offer you more strategies, tools, and solutions at your disposal—in every step of your journey in life and business—but legal and litigation support as complex needs arise in probate, business, or otherwise.

Protect the integrity of your life’s work and learn more about estate planning and how wills, trusts, and other legal tools can help you better plan and prepare for the future and the outcome of your legacy.

Book a free consultation with Katie Charleston Law, P.C. at (317) 663-9190 today and meet with one of our estate planning attorneys.