Wills and Trusts


OLYMPIA ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY

Handling Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, Living Wills, Community Property Agreements, Estate Tax Planning, Probate, and Real Estate in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Tenino, Yelm, Shelton, Thurston County, and surrounding areas.

 

Estate Planning for Families

For most people, the need for a quality estate plan is long past due. It is important to receive assistance with your estate plan from an attorney who is experienced in wills and trusts, as well as real estate, powers of attorney, health care directives, living wills, creditors and debtors rights, business administration, and probate administration, so you can be adequately advised on all matters related to your estate. A family’s estate takes a lifetime to acquire, and a qualified Olympia estate planning lawyer will ensure that your estate is protected from unnecessary taxes, debts, will contests, and probate litigation.

Last Will and Testament and Trust

Attorney Ryan A. Jacobsen at Jacobsen Law Office, P.S. is an estate planning attorney who helps clients prepare last wills and testaments, from the standard to the complex, as well as revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, testamentary trusts, children’s trusts, and pour-over wills. With depth and diversity in related areas of law, our Olympia estate planning attorney has helped clients in Thurston County, Mason County, Pierce County, and Lewis County with their estate planning needs. Additionally, he is willing to travel to clients who are unable to come in to his Olympia law office due to disability or illness.

“Do I Need A Trust?”

When it comes to trusts, it is important to know that most people in Washington do not need a revocable living trust. Understanding whether probate avoidance, credit sheltering, tax planning, controlling a business, and greater control over asset distribution is right for a family’s estate requires a competent and qualified Olympia trusts lawyer like Ryan A. Jacobsen.

Estate Planning For Minor Children And Special Needs

Our firm also helps parents prepare for their minor children or special needs children. Some of the estate planning for minors includes designating guardians or co-guardians, trustees of children’s trusts, and counsel regarding distribution of benefits to children. In cases of special needs children, our Olympia law office helps establish special needs trusts, guardianships, and other legal instruments and processes that help parents plan for their children.

Durable Power of Attorney

For most people, the power of attorney is the most important legal document they will have in their estate plan. A power of attorney is important for times when a person is unable to make decisions regarding their finances or health care, and without a power of attorney and a designated agent, family members would need to seek a guardianship in order to help.

Community Property Agreement

A married couple may use a community property agreement to avoid probate for the first spouse to die. This cost-effective legal instrument has strict guidelines that must be followed in order to be effective, but when prepared correctly, a surviving spouse can transfer title real estate and other assets with the probate court’s involvement.

Health Care Directive

A health care directive (formerly known as a “living will”) is a legal instrument that expresses an individual’s desires regarding artificial life support in times of terminal illness and permanent unconsciousness.

Executing Estate Planning Documents

Estate planning documents are legal instruments that need to be approached with a correct understanding of the law and need to be executed perfectly. Many Last Will and Testaments are void because the testator or testatrix did not execute them properly. For example, in Washington, a witness does not need to be in the same room as a testator when the testator signs a Will, but the witness does need to be in the same room as the testator when the witness signs the Will. A Last Will and Testament does not need to be notarized in Washington, but the Affidavit of Attesting Witnesses does need to be notarized. We know what we are doing, so you can be sure that your estate plan cannot be voided by a court, and that your last wishes will be enforceable by Washington probate law.

Estate Planning Attorney

Our experienced Olympia estate planning lawyer, Ryan A. Jacobsen, offers flat fee services as well as hourly fees for document reviews and estate planning counsel with or without document preparation. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.