Atlanta and Alpharetta Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Information
Ask yourself a question: What is the most important thing in my life? Whatever your answer is, that is what estate planning is all about. And that is why estate planning is so important.
Creating your estate plan may be the most important thing you ever do. Done well, it deploys a safety net beneath you to better protect the quality of life of you and your spouse when disability or incapacity strikes, when long term medical care is needed, or you must confront some adversity you never imagined. It relieves loved ones of making difficult decisons in times of great stress. It protects your heirs from losing their inheritance to creditors, through divorce, in lawsuits, and to tax liens. And it makes it possible to control your property while you're alive and able, to take care of yourself and your loved ones if you become disabled, and give what you have to whom you want, the way you want, and when you want, while saving every tax dollar, professional fee and court cost possible.
Whatever your business or profession, and whether you are currently working or retired, you have worked hard to build your personal wealth. Without proper planning, much of what you have succeeded in acquiring can be taken away or taxed more heavily than necessary, during your life or after you're gone.
In many cases, unprepared heirs can lose asset value simply because they don't yet have the advice and tools that they need or they lack the structures to protect them from litigation or a failed marriage. By preparing for future unforeseen events, you can protect your wealth, your lifestyle, your heirs and your estate. And, through a process known as Modern Estate Planning™ you can make sure that your heirs don't lose your advice, wisdom, and family values that are essential to future generations' success but might otherwise be lost if you pass away. So whether you need a simple will or more complicated planning techniques, what you probably want more than anything else is for someone to guide you through the process in a clear, easy, and effective way. That is what we do in a positive and inspiring way.
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of a Family Summer Vacation Home by Future Generations
They are the places where cherished childhood memories are built, where we return later in life for personal and familial renewal, and where family continuity and solidarity begins. They take many forms: a summer home beside Lake Lanier, a ski lodge in the mountains of North Carolina, a beach cottage on Kiawah Island, or a condo in Destin. The only thing they all have in common is that the owners want them to be used and enjoyed by successive generations to enhance family cohesion through shared experiences, regardless of age or interest.
No other property in your estate carries with it the psychological and emotional forces, the potential for bitter conflicts, and the promise of binding together members of future generations like family vacation homes. These homes often hold a special place in the heart of every member of the extended family. In fact, they often perform a unique function by creating strong bonds between adult siblings, and extending the very idea and identity of the “family” to include cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. When family members marry, their in-laws are often included and eventually become part of this extended family — all bound together by the experiences they shared at the ancestral vacation home. These homes are a kind of “glue” that holds the family together and preserves family traditions like no other material possession.
Get our latest Special Report, Keeping the Family Vacation Home in the Family.
