Getting Started With Estate Planning

The hardest step to take can be the first one. Estate planning is no different. It can seem complex–and in a lot of ways it is. But, when you take the first step and reach out, an experienced estate planning lawyer can lift much of the burden off your shoulders. That’s what we aim to do for all of our clients at DePrima Law.

DePrima Law has over 18 years of experience in estate planning, and we guide clients through a step-by-step process that not only codifies their wishes into binding legal documents, but also protect the people you love from court and conflict. Call our Buffalo office today at (716) 638-2633 or contact us online to set up a consultation.

Your First Estate Planning Strategy Session

At your first estate planning session, it’s common to simply let your attorney get the lay of the land. First, we need to take inventory of your assets. We need to know the value of your home, your 401(k) accounts and other investments, and any business ownership. We want to understand who your beneficiaries are, what their needs may be, and what you envision for your assets after you’ve passed on.

You can share with us how you would like medical care handled in an end-of-life situation where you may be incapacitated, and who you trust to make decisions on your behalf. If you have children under the age of 18, we’ll talk about who you would want to be their guardian if anything should happen. And, if you care for a child with physical or mental disabilities, we’ll talk about strategies to provide for them after you’ve passed on.

To prepare for an initial estate planning session, the best way to start is to plan for these discussions. For the financial matters, gather the documents you can and have some estimates in mind for those that might be harder to access. Eventually, we’ll need to get precise and specific, but we use a three-part approach for a reason: To give clients time to put everything together and to allow us a chance to guide the process, based on over 18 years of estate planning experience.

Good estate planning shouldn’t be a one-off exercise. Estate planning done right is a process. At DePrima Law, we prefer to guide clients along the way rather than rush them out the door.

Mediation Consults

Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution method. It can be used as a tool in everything from a dispute at the workplace to a dispute between nations. At DePrima Law, we’re experienced mediators in difficult estate planning disputes and potentially contentious family law settlements. 

There is no ideal way to go through a divorce, but a negotiated settlement is quite often preferable—and may be less costly—than settling through litigation. A skilled family law mediator can help spouses work through the important questions of property division, child custody and visitation. Mediators are trained to see solutions that those involved in a dispute might not. And those solutions can lead to a more efficient settlement process. 

Divorced spouses with children may still have disputes over parenting, custody and visitation matters after the settlement is final. A mediator can continue to be of service to parents in these situations, helping them resolve differences without going to court. 
 

A dispute in estate planning may arise after a person is deceased. Was the will truly an accurate depiction of the person’s last wishes? Is the trust that the deceased set up being properly administered by the trustee? Big questions like these often create disputes among surviving family members. Mediation offers a cost-efficient, solution-oriented approach that allows the disputants to resolve the matter themselves.

Estate planning necessarily involves talking about issues that you may not enjoy discussing or even thinking about. None of us relish the idea of preparing for what happens to our assets after death, what will happen to our children, or how we’ll be cared for when we can no longer care for ourselves. However, each of these issues must be addressed if you want a comprehensive estate plan to protect your wishes and carry through your intentions.

The way to begin is to simply take the first step. Call DePrima Law at (716) 638-2633 or reach out online and set up an appointment at our Buffalo office. Our helping team will guide you from there.