Comprehensive Estate Planning To Protect Your Wishes And Future
As estate planning attorneys, we have seen firsthand the importance of having a well-crafted plan in place. It is not just about distributing assets after you are gone. It is also about protecting yourself in the event of incapacity, avoiding messy disputes, minimizing or avoiding the stress of probate, and making sure that your loved ones are taken care of.
At Deffenbaugh & Lange, P.L.L.C., we can guide you through the estate planning process with compassion, kindness and empathy. We are a Christian law firm providing estate planning services to all people across Texas from our home base in San Antonio. With over fifty years of combined legal experience, our attorneys have a thorough understanding of Texas estate law, including the probate process and how to avoid it. We believe in fostering close, long-lasting relationships with our clients, and our faith-based values shape everything we do.
Components Of A Robust Estate Plan
We can do much more than just help you draft a will. We take a comprehensive approach to creating robust estate plans, with strategies and documents tailored to fit your unique circumstances and goals.
Common components of an estate plan include:
- Wills: A legal document that outlines how you want your assets distributed after your passing
- Trusts: A legal arrangement that holds and manages assets for the benefit of others, such as children or loved ones with special needs
- Powers of attorney: A document that grants someone you trust the authority to make financial and medical decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated
- Living will (advance directive): A document that specifies your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions for yourself, often focusing on end-of-life care decisions
- Durable power of attorney: A specific type of power of attorney which covers financial decisions that can remain in effect even if you become incapacitated. These can be general or narrowed to a particular time or transaction, depending on your needs
Each of these components can play a crucial role in protecting your interests and those of your loved ones.
Strategies For Complex Estates
Not all estates are straightforward. If you have significant assets, own a business or have unique family situations, your estate plan may require more sophisticated strategies.
Our estate planning attorneys are uniquely positioned to address estate planning for complex estates. Co-founder Douglas Deffenbaugh holds both a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) and a CPA license, which gives us a valuable advantage in handling complex financial issues and asset preservation planning. We can help you address considerations such as:
- Asset protection: To safeguard your assets from creditors, lawsuits or other threats
- Planned gift giving: Through strategies such as planned gifting to ensure that your heirs receive their inheritance in a way that minimizes taxes and maximizes benefits
- Business succession planning: To ensure a smooth transition of business ownership and management in the event of your retirement, incapacity or death, helping to preserve the business’s continuity and value
- Strategic asset titling: We use tools such as Ladybird Deeds and Transfer on Death Deeds to spare your loved ones the complexities and headaches of probate, if at all possible
- Special needs planning: For a trust beneficiary who needs to remain eligible for public assistance
Our experience spans both large and small estates, and we bring a determined, problem-solving approach to every estate plan we create or revise.
Take The First Step Toward Peace Of Mind
Let our estate planning attorneys help you create a comprehensive plan that reflects your values, protects your loved ones and accomplishes your wishes. Whether you need guidance on a special needs trust, insurance trust, irrevocable trust, revocable trust, will or any other aspect of estate planning, we will listen to you and fully address your concerns.
Call 210-943-9982 or send us an email to talk to an estate planner.