At Steffens Law Accident Injury Lawyers, our goal is to provide comprehensive estate planning services without overcomplicating the process for our busy clients. We work with individuals and families of all income levels and at all stages of life. It is not uncommon for people to put this important process off year after year, but to protect your assets for the next generation, you must be proactive. Find out what we can do for you here and then contact our office in Broken Bow to get started today!
Comprehensive Estate Planning Services for All Nebraskans
Many of our clients come to us knowing what they hope to do, but having no idea how to do it. We walk them through their options and help them choose the tools that will best help them accomplish their goals. Among other things, we discuss:
- Wills. This simple document sets forth your wishes for the distribution of your property upon your death. Wills have to pass through probate, which could slow down the inheritance process, but a will is the right tool for many people.
- Trusts. An irrevocable living trust is a legal document that passes your assets and property to a trustee while you are still alive to be held for your beneficiaries and distributed according to your wishes after you are gone. Holding assets in trust will bypass the probate process and could provide significant tax savings.
- Personal property lists. Documenting all of your property and assets, where they can be found, and how you want them distributed upon your death is an important step in the estate planning process. Our team will help you with the inventory process.
- Durable powers of attorney. When you give someone power of attorney you are granting him or her permission to make decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated in some way. This is an essential document for everyone.
- Healthcare powers of attorney. Your healthcare power of attorney designee has the authority to make healthcare decisions for you if you are unable to do so. It is important that people of all ages have healthcare powers of attorney in place.
- Probate. Probate is the legal process of verifying a will and distributing property. It can be costly and burdensome, but our legal team can help you through the process. We also have solutions for creating estate plans that avoid probate.
- Beneficiary designations. Naming beneficiaries for life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and other accounts should be taken seriously because they trump probate and trust transfers. In other words, it won’t matter who you leave something to in a will if you have named someone else as a beneficiary. We will make sure all of your wishes are aligned.
Building and maintaining an estate plan is an ongoing process, and we offer free educational seminars, bi-monthly newsletters, and updated information on our website to make sure our clients are always informed of their options and know how to handle major life changes.
Our Unique e-Notebook Planning Tool Keeps Our Clients Organized
When you create your estate plan with Steffens Law Accident Injury Lawyers, you will get access to a personalized e-notebook, containing the following information for loved ones:
- Life insurance summary
- Reference lists
- Memorial instructions
- Personal instruments disposing of personal property
- Inventory of property and accounts
This tool has proven to be invaluable to the survivors of our clients, saving them the frustration of tracking down important documents and the heartbreak of making decisions without knowing the decedent’s wishes.
Upfront Pricing Means No Surprises When Working With Our Estate Planning Attorneys
Nobody likes a surprise when they get their bill. We provide clients with a complete list of what each of our services costs before they decide how they want to proceed. We make the process as easy as possible—you will do much of the work from home! Fill out our contact form or call us today to learn more about our estate planning services. Take steps now to protect your future and your loved ones after you are gone.