Oregon City Estate Planning Attorney

Making Future Plans Can Be Easy

Pacific Cascade Legal in Oregon City is proud to help our clients however we can, which sometimes means helping them plan for the future. With an estate plan created by our professional attorneys, you and your family can fill more confident about what the future might bring. It can even make the guidelines that your family can follow after you pass away, so they do not have to worry about getting caught up in legal details.

Interested in making an estate plan? Call our Oregon City estate planning lawyers at (503) 212-9014 now.

What is Estate Planning?

The overall concept of estate planning is to use various legal tools and documents to create a plan for any future occurrences, both predicted and unpredicted. As mentioned, estate plans can even discuss what will happen when you pass away. Every estate plan is unique because each must be made specifically for the person who is making it. Our job as your estate planning legal team will be to make the best plan for your unique situation.

What Estate Planning Tools Do You Need?

Common estate planning tools, documents, and topics include:

• Wills: A will or last will and testament allows you to decide how your property and responsibilities will be distributed to your loved ones when you pass away. The majority of estate plans include at least a will.
• Trusts: A trust is used to name an individual as a trustee who then gains limited or extensive authority over certain assets and responsibilities. When you pass away, the trustee will gain further duties, such as ensuring that those assets are distributed to the correct people. There are many different types of trusts, so your estate plan might include more than one.
• Medical directives: A medical directive gives specific instructions about what medical steps you would like to be followed if you are incapacitated and cannot decide for yourself. Medical directives are difficult to talk about but are highly important. We are here to make you more comfortable during this important step.
• Charitable planning: If you have to reduce the size of your estate to avoid estate plans, or you want to show the world your generosity even after you have passed, then you can use charitable planning tools in your estate plan. We would be happy to discuss charities that need your help if you aren’t sure where to start.
• Conservatorship and guardianship: Conservatorship gives someone responsibility over your financial decisions. Guardianship names someone as the legal guardian of your children or adult dependents, so they can continue to be raised by a loved one if you pass away.
• Asset protection planning: Your valuable assets can be protected in your estate plan with specific tools. If you have real estate or a small business, for example, then we can arrange unique estate planning documents to ensure they are protected and treated as you wish.

Who Benefits from Estate Plans?

Have you ever heard that estate plans are only for the elderly? It is a common myth and one that our team would love to debunk. The truth is that most people can benefit from making an estate plan, even if they do not realize it.

You can benefit from an estate plan if you:

• Are in or nearing your golden years
• Have children
• Own a business
• Have significant assets or finances
• Need specific medical care
• Want to plan for the future

Call Today to Ask About Estate Planning

The best way to remove any worry about what it takes to make an estate plan is to get started on it sooner than later. Call (503) 212-9014 today and tell our Oregon City estate planning attorneys about what you would like to include in an estate plan. If you’re not sure where to begin at all, do not worry. That’s exactly why we’re here. We can create a solid estate plan based directly on your unique needs, expectations, and family situation.

Please contact us online today. We look forward to hearing from you.

Estate Planning FAQ

• What is an estate tax?
  Oregon implements an estate tax on any estate that is valued at $1 million or more when all assets are calculated. This tax can range between 10% and 16% of its total value. If your estate is large enough to be taxed, then we can discuss a different way to possibly avoid it.
• Are trusts permanent once made?
  A revocable living trust can be changed once it is finalized. An irrevocable trust cannot. Before you sign any irrevocable trust, let our attorneys review it to make sure there won’t be any complications caused by it.
• What does it mean if someone passes away “intestate?”
  Passing away intestate means that someone passed away without having made a last will and testament. Without a will, the deceased’s estate moves slower through probate. It also makes the situation more difficult for the loved ones and beneficiaries who are then given the task to determine how to manage the estate.
• Do I have to go through probate?
  Probate is the legal process in which a court reviews a will to ensure that it is legally viable. In this way, probate is often unavoidable. However, with a proper will in place, the duration and complications of probate can be significantly reduced.