General Estate Planning

Hickman & Lowder assists clients in planning their estates by drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other documents to achieve client goals and minimize taxes.

Our team can help you:

•  Control who will receive your assets after your death.

• Minimize legal fees and taxes.

• Protect yourself in the event you become incapacitated so that you, through the individuals you have chosen, not the courts, keep control of your assets and make decisions about your medical care when you can no longer handle your own affairs.

 A Last Will and Testament determines who will administer your estate upon your death. It also dictates who will receive your assets.

A Durable General Power of Attorney (POA) is a wonderful tool that can be used to avoid a possible Guardianship action being filed in the Probate Court if you become incompetent to make various decisions. You have the ability, when you ask us to draft a POA for you, to determine who will manage your affairs if you are unable to do so.

A Power of Attorney for Health Care is a legal document which authorizes another person to make health care decisions for you if you lose the capacity to make informed health care decisions for yourself.

A Living Will Declaration is a binding legal document you can complete now which declares what your wishes are regarding the use of life-sustaining treatment, if you should become terminally ill or permanently unconscious.

A trust can provide for others to step in and assist with, or fully assume, the management of your assets should you become incapable of handling your affairs. It is a flexible and practical tool that can be used to carry out your objectives.

For more information on estate planning, please contact:

• Janet L. Lowder
• Amanda M. Buzo
• Sandra J. Buzney

Frequently Asked Questions about General Estate Planning

Glossary of Terms used in Estate Planning

Useful Links to other web sites