Do I really Need an Estate Plan in Arizona?

Estate planning is one of the most important steps you can take to make sure that your financial and health care wishes are honored during a time of disability and after your death, and to make sure your loved ones will be provided for in your absence. A well-designed estate plan will address:

Who Will Receive Your Property When You Die? You want your lifetime’s hard-earned assets to pass to the right people, in the right way and at the right time. If you don’t make these decisions in advance, Arizona’s Probate Court will do it for you. You also want to make it difficult for the wrong people (like in-law spouses, creditors or greedy relatives) to fight over or contest your estate.

Who Will Be In Charge Upon Your Death or Disability? You want to make sure that your financial, personal and medical affairs will be properly handled by the people you choose when you become too ill or disabled to act for yourself and when you pass away.

Preservation of Your Estate: You want the maximum amount of your hard-earned assets to pass to who you want, with the least amount going to pay for court fees, attorneys’ fees, income taxes and death taxes. You may also want to protect your assets from divorce, lawsuits, creditors and bankruptcy during your lifetime, as well as for your loved ones after they inherit your assets.