Estate Planning Attorney in Roswell, GA
Why You Need an Estate Plan
If you have not created an estate plan, you run the risk that at your death your property will be divided according to the state inheritance statutes. The law may require a distribution that is not consistent with your wishes. An experienced estate planning lawyer near Roswell, Georgia can help you take the necessary measures to life insurance yourself and your heirs.
At the firm of Patrick J. Gibbs, P.C., Attorney at Law, I have more than 40 years of practice experience. Since 1992, I have focused mainly on estate planning and probate matters. I employ a comprehensive approach, integrating all aspects of your planning, looking at probate and non-probate assets, including life insurance policies and retirement benefits. I have personally handled in excess of 2,000 estate plans. My goal is always to efficiently and cost-effectively identify and implement the solutions that meet your individualized needs.
My Estate Planning Practice
When you retain me to help you construct an effective estate plan, I will take the time to gather all relevant information about your financial situation, as well as your estate planning goals. I will carefully explain the different tools available to help you meet your objectives. That will involve the use of dispositive documents such as wills or trusts. In the event that you decide to use a revocable trust (often called a "living trust") you may want to then re-title some assets into the trust to control their management and disposition in the event of disability or death. Although avoiding probate is not often a problem in Georgia, there may be issues created by the “facts on the ground” such as a blended family or difficult family dynamics that require minimizing the importance of the probate process, if not avoiding it. If a revocable trust holds assets prior to any death, then any delay in probating a will is unlikely to create problems. Also I will help you understand the tax implications of different planning strategies.
Once you have decided which approach will best meet your needs, I will prepare and you will execute all the necessary documents to put your estate plan in place, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney and advance medical directives.
I will take the time to identify the unique issues associated with your estate. For example, if you own a business you probably need a plan for business continuation in the event of death or disability. You might need to put a trust in place to take care of the financial needs of minor children in the event of your death.
Contact Me
To set up an appointment with an experienced Roswell estate planning lawyer, contact me by e-mail or call my office at 770-645-4990. I am available to meet with you outside the traditional business hours, if necessary. My office is located in East Cobb County, Roswell.