In Naugatuck, estate planning refers to the process of deciding what should be done with one's assets after their death.

Estate planning typically requires the advice of a legal and/or financial expert, because the issues involved can be perplexing, and are considered by most to be quite important. A flawed estate plan might create conflict between your survivors, resulting in your intentions not being given effect.

Estate planning can have several positive effects on the planner during life, as well. These benefits are typically somewhat intangible, revolving around the peace of mind that comes with knowing that, after your death, you family will be taken care of and that they'll know what your last wishes are. Nonetheless, most people find this very valuable. To that end, you should come up with a power-of-attorney agreement. When you grant someone power of attorney, you have given them the power to make specific decisions on your behalf. You can grant them as much or as little authority as you want. Most people, however, give family members or life partners power of attorney with respect to medical care, so if they become incapacitated, their wishes will still be carried out.

The last thing a person wants to think about is the possibility that, after their death, their survivors are fighting over some part of their estate plan that's ambiguous or otherwise contentious. If you want to prevent this, or at least make it far less likely, you should have the help of a Naugatuck attorney every step of the way.

Common Features of Naugatuck Estates

Will: Wills are a very important part of almost all estate plans. In simplest terms, it answers the question "who gets what after I die?" Usually, you can leave your property to anyone you wish. If you die without a will, your property will usually be given to your closest living relative (usually a spouse or child).

Living Will: This is a document which articulates your wishes concerning your medical care, to give instructions to your family and doctors in the event that you become incapacitated. While directly consulting it will hopefully never be necessary, one never knows - unexpected illnesses and injuries can happen to anyone, at any time. While making a living will might require a person to acknowledge the existence of some unpleasant possibilities, it can end up saving their loved ones a great deal of grief and uncertainty.

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 Naugatuck Estates Lawyer?

A poorly drafted or executed Naugatuck 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.

Life in Naugatuck