conservatorships
A conservator is a person appointed by the court to take care of someone's finances and/or assist with medical and personal decision-making when they cannot make these types of decisions because of disability. Filing for a conservatorship is a last-resort measure, and the pros and cons should be considered first with the guidance of experienced legal counsel. ⬦
Fiduciary Services
A fiduciary is a person who is named in a private agreement or by a court to assume a position of trust or to take on certain responsibilities as an agent for another person (called the principal, testator, trust beneficiary, or conservatee most often) while they are still alive or to manage their affairs or a dependent loved one after they have passed away. Fiduciaries may be attorneys-in-fact (AIF) named in durable powers of attorney (DPOAs), court-appointed conservators, trustees of a trust, or personal representatives (executors/executrixes or administrators) or guardians under a Will. Personal connections or professionals may serve as a fiduciary or agent. ⬦
probate | Estate administration
After a loved one passes away, probate court involvement may or may not be required for effectively administrating an estate, i.e., the process of managing and distributing a deceased individual’s assets after settling debts of the decedent in a proper manner. Legal guidance through this process is highly advisable. ⬦
LONg-Term Care Planning
You can never know for sure if you will need long-term care. Hopefully you will never need it. But an unexpected accident, illness, or injury can change your needs, sometimes suddenly and drastically. And the likelihood of requiring some level of assistance increases with longevity. The best time to think about long-term care is before you require such aid. Planning for the possibility of long-term care needs gives you time to learn about services in your community and what they may cost. It also allows you to make important decisions in advance while you are able to make them for yourself. ⬦
estate & Disability planning
Estate and disability planning is the preparation of legal documents and related administrative tasks that serve to identify and accomplish an individual’s estate goals and how to best manage their estate and personal needs in the event of incapacitation or death. Planning needs change as we grow and evolve, so periodic reviews of estate plans are highly advisable. ⬦
Collaborative Law
Collaborative law is a relatively new way to resolve family or relationship-based disputes by removing the disputed matter from the litigious court room setting and treating the process as a way for folks to work together solving a mutual problem rather than fighting each other as adversarial enemies. This alternative dispute resolution process is most commonly associated with divorces, but it is applicable for small business and elder and estate family disputes as well. The collaborative law method allows both (or all) parties involved to retain separate attorneys, whose jobs are to advocate for their own client while helping the parties work together to settle their dispute in a peaceable manner. Most folks committed to the collaborative process satisfactorily settle their disputes with a durable, workable agreement. However, do keep in mind that if negotiations fall apart without resolution and one or more parties become(s) determined to litigate, the collaborative law attorneys are disqualified from further involvement in the case. ⬦