Old Bridge Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in Old Bridge, NJ

"Estate planning" in Old Bridge refers to the decisions a person makes regarding what is to be done with their assets after their death, and the process of implementing those wishes.

The problems that estate planning raises are sometimes very confusing. Without competent legal and financial advice, many problems can pop up, which can easily throw your entire plan into disarray, and cost your survivors a great deal of time, energy, and money.

In addition to post-death decisions, estate planning also concerns matters that might affect you during your life, such as granting power of attorney to a family member or trusted friend in case you become unable to make your own decisions regarding your finances or medical care. Moreover, effective estate planning can minimize the impact that estate taxes and court fees will have on your final disposition to your loved ones.

If you want to maximize the odds that your wishes will be followed after your death, you should do everything you can to make them legally binding. While this is not always possible, an Old Bridge attorney will be able to make sure that, where it is allowed, it is done.

Common Features of Old Bridge Estates

Will: This is a legal document which transfers ownership of the testator's (the person making the will) property to named beneficiaries after the testator's death. The beneficiaries can be just about anyone the testator chooses, but smaller estates, usually only include family members, and maybe very close friends. If you want, you can place conditions on gifts (say, leaving a certain amount of money to your son, but only if he graduates college before he turns 25 - this is just an example). However, a will can't actually compel anyone to do anything, and some conditional gifts won't be enforced, normally because they involve an illegal act, or require a person to marry or refrain from marrying a particular person.

Living Will: This is a document which lays out instructions for your medical care, should you become so sick or badly hurt that you are unable to express your wishes. It should state under what cases you want to remain on life support. A well-drafted living will can prevent you from being kept alive in a permanent vegetative state (if that is not what you want), while ensuring that you receive medical care as long as you have a chance at recovery.

Power of Attorney: Power of attorney, while important, is not to be used lightly. This is because it involves granting someone else the power to make legally-binding decisions on your behalf. Typically, your spouse will automatically have power of attorney if you become incapacitated. If you are not married, however, you need to make a document explicitly granting that authority to someone you trust (a life partner or close family member, for instance).

Funeral Arrangements: Whatever your preference on this matter (if you have a preference) you should make it known to your family both verbally and in writing. If you have very specific wishes concerning the final disposition of your mortal remains, you should not put those instructions in your will. Or, if you do, you should also put them somewhere else. Wills are normally not read for quite some time after a person dies, and the funeral is typically long over by then, so it will be too late to follow your instructions.

Do I Need a Old Bridge Estates Lawyer?

A poorly drafted or executed Old Bridge estate plan can have major negative consequences. For example, it might be confusing to the people who are most directly affected by it. This confusion can frequently lead to costly litigation. For that reason, the help of an efficient estate planning attorney can be invaluable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Old Bridge

Old Bridge, New Jersey is a township in Middlesex County. As of a 2007 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau, its population is about 66,000.

Old Bridge can trace its origins to when the English wrested control of the area from the Dutch in 1664. In the 1680s, the current boundaries of Middlesex County were laid out by the legislative body with jurisdiction at the time. The area went through several name changes over the centuries, and finally appears to have settled on the official name of Township of Old Bridge, in 1975.

Until the 1950s, Old Bridge was largely an agricultural community, and population and economic growth were slow. However, during the post-WWII economic boom, there was a burst of construction activity, and most of the farm land gave way to residential developments.

Modernly, Old Bridge, New Jersey is home to a population that is relatively well-off, economically speaking. Only about 4% of the population of Old Bridge lives below the poverty line, which is much lower than the national average.

If you live in Old Bridge, New Jersey, chances are good that you'll be able to find a lawyer if you need one. Old Bridge, New Jersey lawyers are very diverse and competent. An Old Bridge, New Jersey attorney can probably handle just about any legal issue you might have.

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