Elder Law Attorney Serving Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg
As we mature, we develop a greater appreciation of the value in planning ahead. For example, when we want to visit a new place, we research our options and make reservations to ensure that we get the best experience. We have learned that we get more of what we want when we plan ahead.
That is the point of estate planning: To think about what you want your future to look like and to put a written plan in place for it. Only when your intentions are clearly stated in legal form can you be assured that your wishes will be followed.
Regardless of your age or the size of your estate, every adult should have certain legal documents in place that will prevent confusion amongst your family members about your wishes in the event of an emergency.
Whether your immediate concern involves asset protection or control over future health care decisions, Brian M. Krause can provide the estate planning services you need. With nearly a decade of experience in the practice of law with an emphasis on real estate and property issues, attorney Krause will help you to clarify your wishes for your future and formalize them into the necessary legal documents that will ensure that your wishes are carried out.
Powers of Attorney for Property and Health Care
Think of all those forms you have filled out for employers, landlords, and doctors. They all ask you to name someone to contact in the event of an emergency. A power of attorney document works in a similar but more formal and specific way.
A power of attorney for property allows the person you name to access your bank accounts, pay your bills, and make other financial decisions on your behalf when you are unable to do so. A power of attorney for health care allows the person you name to make decisions about your medical care and can spell out your wishes with regard to life-sustaining treatment.
Wills and Trusts
When it comes to aging and death, the question to ask is not whether but how. Specifically, do you want to be in control of decisions about the care of your children and the disposition of your assets, or are you willing to let these important decisions be made for you by a probate court judge?
A will allows you to name a legal guardian for minor children as well as to specify how your assets should be distributed upon your death.
A living trust allows you to manage the assets in the trust until you become unable to do so, at which point a successor trustee of your choice will take over and manage the trust for your benefit until your death. The trust document also states how any assets remaining in the trust should be distributed when you pass, allowing your heirs to receive these assets without going through probate court.
Guardianships and Elder Law
If you have a loved one who has become unable to manage their own affairs due to mental or physical disability, but who did not plan ahead for this eventuality, attorney Krause can assist you in initiating guardianship proceedings.
Estate Planning Lawyer Serving Schaumburg and Rolling Meadows
Brian M. Krause provides effective and affordable legal assistance to clients in Cook County including the communities of Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, Streamwood, Barrington, South Barrington, Hanover Park, and Chicago. Contact us in our Hoffman Estates office at 815-744-6550.