A will gives you the power to shape your legacy.
With a will, you can protect your assets and provide peace and comfort to those you love. Without one, you risk leaving behind unnecessary stress, pain and potential litigation battles among your loved ones.
At Hamilton Duncan, we can ease the stress and provide clarity by helping you develop your estate plan. We draft the documents that ensure your affairs are well managed, your assets are distributed according to your intentions, and that your children are cared for by the people you know and trust.
Whether you are young and becoming established or pursuing retirement, have modest means or accumulated wealth, having a tailored estate plan and will is one of the most significant benefits you can provide to your loved ones.
Writing a Will and Planning Your Estate
Whether you need a complex estate plan for your business or a modest will for you and your significant other, we can guide you smoothly through the planning process.
We can assist you with:
• Safeguarding assets
• Securing your family
• Avoiding litigation
• Reducing taxes
• Avoiding probate fees
We will work with you to ensure your assets are protected and managed as you wish. We can also provide options such as joint tenancies and alter ego trusts, and show you how to protect your estate from being challenged.
Acting as executor
Being an executor of a will can be a privilege, but also a challenging task. Coping with the loss of a loved one while being challenged with applying for probate and distributing the assets and debt payments of the deceased can be overwhelming. If you are named an executor of a will, our team can walk you through the estate administration process, simple or complex.
We can help you:
• Assess whether you want to take on the position or resign and pass it to someone else
• Gain control and complete an evaluation of all assets
• Determine if there are any liabilities of the estate
• Arrange for payment of debts
• Ensure final taxes are paid
• Distribute the estate according to the will
• Prepare accounts for the beneficiaries and obtain releases from them once your work is complete
• Help you determine and obtain suitable compensation from the estate for all of your hard work
Powers of Attorney and Representation Agreements
Who will speak on your behalf when you are no longer able to speak for yourself?
If you are ever incapacitated, having a power of attorney and a representation agreement can help others help you. With a power of attorney, you give a trusted person legal authority to make decisions for your property and finances, so your loved ones won’t need a court order to make important decisions for you when you are no longer able to. A similar sort of arrangement can be made for your health care, by way of a representation agreement.
At Hamilton Duncan, we can help you plan a power of attorney and a representation agreement that is right for you.
Trusts
There are many situations that call for special management of an estate. Families who have children with disabilities, a business they want to pass on to the next generation, or children under the age of 19 will want to plan carefully and ensure that their estate is managed by someone who is trusted and capable until a certain point in time.
Trusts are legal arrangements between three parties: the one who creates the trust, the one who manages the trust assets, and the ones who receive the assets. Trusts ensure that assets are properly managed for those who aren’t ready or able to manage them, and provide flexibility for the timing of distributions.
Our experienced team at Hamilton Duncan is there for you to assist and guide you through the process. With our team of estate planning experts, we can create an estate plan to protect and preserve your assets, keeping your best interests and your loved ones at heart.
