Wills & Powers of Attorney

Joanne F Gall Attorney at Law, Ltd. provides a full range of services for wills: drafting, review, amendment, revocation, execution and probate. Her experience in the probate court, resolving issues related to the validity of wills, enables her to provide practical advice for testators from all walks of life. Similarly, her work in the formation of wills provides insight into how executors should interpret various aspects of a will that may initially seem unclear. Whether you are a testator formulating an estate plan or an executor implementing a decedent’s wishes, Joanne F Gall Attorney at Law, Ltd. can simplify many complex aspects of the tasks before you. She offers pertinent and personal legal advice to obtain the results you need in a timely manner with the least stress possible.

Executing a valid and effective estate planning document

The basic documents for an estate plan are a will, financial durable power of attorney, health care power of attorney and living will. When receiving professional advice, the preparation or review of all of these documents is essential.

The law has changed dramatically in the past 20 years to make the passing of assets more convenient and less expensive for people inheriting wealth. Most assets are no longer passing through wills at a person’s death. Frequently the majority of a person’s wealth is invested in retirement assets that will be taxable and distributed without probate.  If those assets pass through a will, there can be serious tax consequences.

You can save your family hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars by getting some legal advice regarding how a will works, and how to avoid probate. So, in addition to these basic documents, you might want to consider making your assets, including real estate, transfer on death instead of having it pass through the will.

If your basic documents were done a number of years ago, Joanne reviews them for a small fee to see if they need updating.

What is a will? Click here to read more.

Reviews should include:

• Durable Health Care Powers of Attorney – to ensure that any specific instructions regarding future treatment are addressed. Click here to read more.
• Financial Powers of Attorney – to make sure powers are appropriate, and possible planning for Medicaid eligibility. Click here to read more.
• Living Wills