Estate Planning

• To make sure your wealth reaches your intended heirs in the manner you choose.
• To minimize the erosion of your estate by state and federal taxes and administration costs and expenses.

The first step in setting up any estate plan involves understanding the client’s goals. LNL’s estate planning group starts by meeting with you to gather information to identify your goals and your assets. Once we understand your goals, we will design a plan and prepare the documents needed to carry out those goals. Often, your goals can be achieved through the use of a simple will or trust. Other times, your estate plan may require the use of other documents and planning techniques such as lifetime gifts, planning for the disposition of family businesses and irrevocable life insurance trusts, to name a few. We also assist clients in arranging their affairs to avoid probate to transfer assets in an expeditious and cost-effective manner.

Our estate planning department also has the resources available to perform sophisticated tax planning to reduce or defer estate taxes and to develop plans to protect assets from creditors of intended beneficiaries. We regularly partner with our clients’ accountants, financial planners and life insurance consultants to effectively meet all of our clients’ estate planning needs. An effective estate plan should also consider the possibility of unforeseen problems caused by illness or disability. We can assist you with that aspect of the planning process through the use of Durable Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives for health care matters.

With our experienced attorneys and staff, LNL is ready to help you plan for the future by setting up a customized estate plan.