You’ve worked hard to build your life and secure a stable future for your family. That’s why it’s important to hire an attorney who will protect your wishes when you are no longer here. Whether your estate is large or small, it’s important that you leave your wishes in a clear, concise, and legally sound Will to preserve your legacy.
The Law Offices of David Pasti can help you prepare for an uncertain future and ensure your family is properly taken care of. We can assist you in all legal matters pertaining to your estate in MD, DC, or VA, including:
- Creation of a Will
- Creation of a Living Will
- Powers of Attorney
- Probate
- And More
Find out what our clients have said about our services here.
The David Pasti Legal Team can assist you with matters pertaining to:
Providing for Incapacity
You never know when an accident can leave you unable to manage your own financial affairs. If the worst does happen, you cannot simply transfer financial management responsibilities to your spouse or children; they must first petition the court to declare you legally incompetent, usually a long, stressful, costly process. At this point, even if the court appoints the person you would have chosen, they must return to court every year to show how they are investing each and every penny.
In order for your family to be able to immediately take over for you, you must designate a person or persons ahead of time so they will have the authority to withdraw money from your accounts, pay bills, sell stocks, refinance your home, take distributions from your IRAs, etc. Remember—your Will does not take effect until you die, and a power of attorney may be insufficient.
In addition to planning for the financial aspect of your affairs during incapacity, you may also want to establish a plan for your medical care. Legally, you are allowed to appoint someone you trust—a family member or close friend, for instance—to make medical treatment decisions on your behalf should you lose the ability to make these decisions yourself. This can be done using a durable power of attorney for health care where you designate the person to make such decisions. In addition, you should have a Living Will in place that informs others of your preferred medical treatments, especially as pertains to the use of extraordinary measures in the event that you become permanently unconscious or terminally ill.
“I have employed David’s services many times over the years from estates and wills to various business contracts. He is responsive, detail-oriented, and runs his practice with great integrity. He knows the right questions to ask to make sure your concerns are addressed. I trust him to do an on-time and thorough job at a reasonable cost every time.”
– C.P.
Providing for Minor Children
If you are a parent of young children, it’s important your estate plan addresses the issues revolving around their upbringing. You should discuss with your attorney the possibility of both you and your spouse dying simultaneously or within a short time span, and draw up a contingency plan that names the persons you’d like to manage your assets as well as who you would like to nominate as the guardians of your children. If you do not appoint people to these roles, the courts will be left to make these decisions. Worse, the people selected may have undue burdens and restrictions placed on them, such as having to provide annual accounting.
Charitable Bequests – Planned Giving
Do you want to benefit a charitable organization or cause? If so, your estate plan can provide for this, during your lifetime or at your death. If set up properly, your planned giving plan may also let you receive a stream of income for life, earn a higher investment yield, or reduce your capital gains or estate taxes.
A well-crafted estate plan will protect your loved ones by avoiding guardianship during your lifetime, probate at death, estate taxes, and unnecessary delays. We will help you review your current family and financial situation as well as your goals for the future, all while explaining the various options available to you and helping you put in place a plan that provides for yourself and your family.
“We used David to draw up our wills, which required some out of the ordinary approaches. He did an excellent job helping usher us through the process, provided an excellent product, and still charged us the standard rate.”
– K.G.