Wills & Trusts

Cleveland Wills and Trusts Attorneys

A "simple will" is called that for a reason, and perhaps an idealistic one. A will should be simple to explain. It is simply a legal instrument with which to inform others of your wishes at a time when you are unable to personally express them.

Just because a will is simple, or should be, does not make the task any less important. When a person's legal affairs are not in order, there can be contentious squabbles over inheritances, quarrels over custody of a minor child, or estate tax burdens punishing innocent parties.

These are consequences you most assuredly want to avoid. Our wills and trusts lawyers can help you do that at the law offices of Aggers Joseph Co., LPA

Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney

Other variations on the theme of properly putting affairs in order would include uses of living trusts and powers of attorney.

A living trust is a trust established by a competent individual during their lifetime, conferring to that person all of the benefits of the assets placed into the trust. Its term would include any period of incompetence and the terms of the trust would provide for distribution of the assets upon the individual's death. A living trust generally avoids the need for estate administration in probate court. However, the assets in the trust will still be subject to Ohio and federal estate tax.

A power of attorney is the appointment by a competent individual, also known as the principal, of another competent individual, considered the agent, to act on the principal's behalf during certain duties related to the principal's assets or to make health care decisions for the principal. A power of attorney is only valid while the principal is competent and continues to direct the agent to act on their behalf. On the other hand, the principal may indicate in the power of attorney that they intend for the powers granted to the agent to remain in effect even if the principal becomes incompetent. This is known as a durable power of attorney.

We Offer Peace of Mind

You can accomplish so much for yourself and your family with our help at the Cleveland law offices of Aggers Joseph Co., LPA, serving Cuyahoga County and Ohio for more than 15 years. We are all too familiar with how varied, complex, and unique the wills and trusts and overall estate planning problems of our many clients can be. We have heard them for years. We can help with yours, too.

You deserve the peace of mind that a correctly prepared will or trust can provide, one that adheres to your wishes and sufficiently, fairly provides for your loved ones. The same goes for living wills, advance healthcare directives, and durable powers of attorney with healthcare provisions. You deserve sound advice on each front and we are glad to give it.

The Many Faces of Wills and Trusts

Our estate planning attorneys are experienced in advising and drafting all types of wills and trusts, including:

• Simple wills
• Living wills (advance healthcare directives)
• Powers of attorney (durable powers of attorney, limited powers of attorney, financial and medical)
• Living trusts
• Revocable trusts
• Irrevocable trusts
• Charitable remainder trusts
• Special needs trusts
• Survivor trusts
• Family trusts
• Insurance trusts
• Living trusts
• Medicaid planning

Meet With Aggers Joseph Co., LPA Soon

For questions about wills and trusts or for direct requests for assistance in protecting your assets and keeping estate taxes at the lowest levels possible, we invite you to set an initial confidential consultation with the estate planning attorneys of Aggers Joseph Co., LPA. They would welcome the chance to thoroughly discuss your will, trust, power of attorney, or any other estate planning needs and goals.

Our Cleveland and Ohio wills and trusts clients and their families have benefitted from our valuable counsel and intense client focus for the past 15 years. So call, e-mail, or fax us today.