Secure Your Legacy with Our Denver and Aurora Estate Planning Attorneys
Denver and Aurora Estate Planning Services
At Burr Law, we offer a comprehensive range of estate planning services tailored to meet the specific needs of our clients in Denver and Aurora. Our experienced attorneys will work with you to create a customized estate plan that reflects your unique circumstances and goals. We provide guidance and legal support on a variety of estate planning matters, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advanced healthcare directives. We understand that estate planning can be a complex and daunting process, which is why we strive to make it as stress-free and straightforward as possible.
Three Levels of Estate Planning Process
Every family is different and has different estate planning needs.At The Law Office of Anna L. Burr, our plans are not “one size fits all.” Instead, we have designed three different levels of planning to suit your family’s needs. We represent families throughout varying stages of life:
- Two-parent families or single parents wishing to provide for and protect their children and themselves;
- Unmarried couples who are solidifying their relationship through proper planning
- Blended families creating new relationships with varying expectations
- Families with special needs looking to ensure that their children will be taken care of and able to continue to receive the necessary assistance
- High net worth families seeking strategies for minimizing estate and income tax liability
The costs of these plans range between $1,500 for a will-based plan, up to $7,500 for an extensive plan that includes maximum asset protections after death and inadvertent losses through the Court process. We know there are a lot of “do-it-yourself” options out there, and as the saying goes: You get what you pay for. It’s important for families to have a qualified estate planning attorney in their corner, checking the details and making sure everyone and everything is fully protected for you and for future generations.
The first step in beginning the estate planning process is to schedule a Family Wealth Planning Session. There, we will review the three levels of planning and choose the one that makes the most sense for you and your goals. We want to design a plan that provides your family a clear path forward if and when something happens to you, and that the plan will work when that day comes. We are aiming to provide real security – not the false security that comes with a cheap set of estate planning documents that fail to keep your loved ones out of conflict.
Personalized Service
Our estate planning services are tailored to each family’s unique needs, assets, and values. We offer proactive and educational guidance to help you achieve your goals, and we create a comprehensive plan aligned with those goals. Our services cater to multiple generations of families, and we provide free estate checkups for elderly parents and basic planning documents for young adult children. Our attorneys will listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and guide you through each step of the process to ensure a well-structured and comprehensive estate plan. Whether you’re an individual, family, or business owner, we can help protect your legacy and provide for your loved ones after you’re gone. Contact us today for a consultation and learn more about our estate planning services in Denver and Aurora.
Why You Need Estate Planning Lawyers
Estate planning is an essential process for anyone who wants to ensure that their assets are distributed according to their wishes after they pass away. While it is possible to create a basic estate plan on your own, consulting with an estate planning lawyer can provide significant benefits, including their deep understanding of legal intricacies and knowledge about laws and regulations governing estate planning. This allows them to create a comprehensive plan that complies with all relevant laws. Additionally, estate planning lawyers can help navigate complex family situations and dynamics, providing guidance on structuring an estate plan to minimize the risk of disputes and conflicts among family members while ensuring that your wishes are met.
Understanding Estate Planning: What Does an Estate Plan Do
Estate plan is a set of legal documents that outline how your assets will be distributed after you pass away. It includes instructions for your medical care if you become incapacitated and appoints someone to make decisions on your behalf. An estate plan can help minimize taxes, avoid probate, and ensure that your loved ones are taken care of according to your wishes. Without an estate plan, your assets could be subject to unnecessary taxes and fees, and your loved ones may not be provided for as you intended.
Our Services
Kids Protection Planning
All parents assume they will be around to see their children grow into adults. For most parents, this is exactly what will happen. However, smart estate planning necessarily requires us to prepare for the worst. Think of the peace of mind that comes with having proper protection in place for your children – knowing that the right people will care for them in the event you cannot.
Asset Protection Planning
Building a wealth legacy sometimes requires taking risks. We co-sign on loans, we purchase rental properties, we obtain the skills and education to become high-income earners. With these rewards come risk – that a lawsuit, creditor, or divorce could threaten your wealth legacy. The good news is you can put a plan in place to protect those assets you’ve worked so hard to acquire.
Estate Tax Planning
As the saying goes, only two things are certain in life – death and taxes. Estate planning involves many different kinds of taxes: estate tax, gift tax, and generation-skipping tax, to name a few. We can help explain which of these may apply based on your estate and advise you on how to set up an estate plan that minimizes the tax burden for you and your family.
Special Needs Planning
Parents who have been blessed with a special needs child know that raising their children comes with a complex set of additional considerations. Because of that, making sure they are well cared for in your absence is critical. We can provide guidance in choosing the best person to act as guardian or trustee, put a plan in place to secure financial resources for your child, and assist with residential options if needed.
Trust Administration
Even if you’ve implemented maximum asset protection with a trust, the process of managing those assets comes with legal and logistical challenges. Servicing in this capacity brings with it the possibility of legal and financial liability. We work closely with everyone involved – the trustee, beneficiaries, and advisors to ensure proper and thorough administration of your trust.
Don’t Let an Outdated Estate Plan Affect Family’s Future
An estate plan is not a one-and-done task. Your life circumstances and goals change over time, and your estate plan needs to reflect those changes. Having an outdated estate plan can have serious consequences for your family’s future. It could result in unintended beneficiaries, assets not being distributed according to your wishes, or taxes and fees that could have been avoided. To avoid these potential pitfalls, it’s crucial to review and update your estate plan regularly. At Burr Law, we can help you assess your current estate plan, identify any outdated or inadequate provisions, and make the necessary updates to ensure that your plan aligns with your current wishes and goals. Don’t let an outdated estate plan affect your family’s future – contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Estate planning is a crucial process that requires careful consideration and planning. It is important to develop estate planning strategies that align with your specific goals and circumstances. Here are some estate planning strategies for families and business owners to consider:
For Families:
- Create a will: A will is a legal document that outlines your wishes for how your assets should be distributed after your death. It is an essential estate planning tool for families, especially those with minor children.
- Establish trusts: Trusts can help protect your assets and provide for your loved ones after your death. For example, a revocable living trust can be used to avoid probate and provide for the care of minor children.
- Plan for incapacity: It is important to have a plan in place in case you become incapacitated and are unable to make decisions for yourself. A power of attorney and an advanced healthcare directive can help ensure that your wishes are respected.
For Business Owners:
- Create a business succession plan: A business succession plan outlines how your business will be transferred to new owners or managers after your retirement, disability, or death. It is important to consider issues such as ownership, management, and control of the business.
- Consider buy-sell agreements: A buy-sell agreement is a legal contract that outlines how ownership of the business will be transferred in the event of a triggering event, such as the death or disability of an owner. It can help ensure a smooth transition of ownership and protect the value of the business.
- Protect your business assets: It is important to protect your business assets from potential creditors and lawsuits. This can be done through legal structures such as limited liability companies (LLCs) or trusts.
Working with an experienced estate planning attorney can help you develop effective estate planning strategies that align with your specific goals and circumstances.
Burr Law: Aurora’s Most Trusted Estate Planning Firm
Burr Law offers personalized estate planning services that cater to your individual needs and goals. Our experienced attorneys are equipped to assist you in creating a tailored estate plan that reflects your unique circumstances. We are committed to ensuring that your plan is comprehensive, well-structured, and avoids the common pitfalls that can result in expensive consequences. Let us guide you through the estate planning process, provide you with expert advice, and help you make informed decisions about the distribution of your assets.
You Could Make a Recording, But Who Has Time?
When discussing estate planning, we often talk about recording a video or writing a letter to those we will leave behind, but so few people ever actually do it. We just get so caught up with our day-to-day routines that focusing on leaving a legacy seems to take a back seat. In order to make this happen, we built it into our planning process. Now, it’s incorporated as one of the steps you’ll take, not just something you’ll get around to someday. At The Law Office of Anna L. Burr, we help every client to capture and pass on who you are and what’s important to you.
For more information about how we help you pass on your most valuable assets – your values, insights, stories, and experience – to your loved ones, or about our resources for leaving your family with a true legacy, please contact us.
FAQ
A will and a trust both dictate how your assets will be distributed after your death, but a trust offers more control and flexibility during your lifetime.
Yes, you can make changes to your estate plan at any time as long as you are mentally competent to do so.
Probate is the court-supervised process of distributing a deceased person’s assets, but it can be avoided by creating a trust or other estate planning strategies.
A power of attorney is a legal document that designates someone to make financial or healthcare decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.
You can ensure your wishes are carried out after you pass away by creating a clear and comprehensive estate plan that covers all aspects of your assets and personal wishes.
Long-term care needs can be planned for through various estate planning strategies, such as creating a trust or purchasing long-term care insurance.
Estate planning can help reduce taxes by utilizing strategies such as gifting, charitable giving, and creating a trust.
If you die without a will or trust in place, state law will determine how your assets are distributed, which may not align with your wishes.
If you die without a will or trust in place, state law will determine how your assets are distributed, which may not align with your wishes.
Yes, you can disinherit a family member from your estate, but it must be done explicitly and in compliance with state laws.
The process for administering an estate involves identifying and gathering assets, paying off debts and taxes, and distributing remaining assets to heirs or beneficiaries according to the deceased’s wishes or state law.
Yes, it is possible to name more than one executor or trustee in an estate plan, but it’s important to ensure they can work together and make decisions jointly.
It’s recommended to review and update an estate plan every 3-5 years or after any significant life changes, such as marriage, divorce, birth, or death of a loved one.
Yes, estate planning can help protect both personal and business assets, through strategies such as trusts, business succession planning, and insurance. It’s important to work with an experienced estate planning attorney to develop a plan tailored to your unique needs and goals.
Call For A Confidential Consultation
Contact Law Office of Anna L. Burr
To schedule a free consultation, call 720-500-2076 or email. I handle cases throughout the Denver metropolitan area of Colorado.