Houston Estate Planning Attorneys

A comprehensive plan estate plan allows you to:

• Decide the organizations or individuals that will inherit your assets, and update these preferences as necessary
  
• Create a legal strategy that allows your family to prepare in advance and reduce the burden of estate taxes
• Nominate a medical or financial decision maker to act on your behalf in the event of your incapacity 
  
• Legally state your medical preferences 
  
• Appoint guardians for minor children or your estate 

Once created, your estate plan can be modified as needed. The included documents are flexible and aid in securing your intended beneficiaries’ inheritance while possibly offering additional privacy to your family by bypassing the public recording and court reading of a Will.

Ultimately, estate planning provides individuals with control over their affairs during vulnerable times and enables them to provide for their loved ones.

In addition, estate planning can reduce the burden on families and loved ones by explicitly stating your wishes, rather than leaving them open to interpretation. This can be especially beneficial during emotionally charged times, allowing individuals to grieve and support each other without added family tension.

At Shann M. Chaudhry Esq., Attorney at Law PLLC, our Houston estate planning attorneys combine innovative strategies with empathetic and consistent communication. We consider our clients’ preferences carefully to develop a personalized and effective plan that meets their requirements.

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Creating a comprehensive estate plan is a task that can be done at any stage of life, and our team at SMC ESQ PLLC believes in building long-lasting relationships with our clients to assist them throughout their journey. Our experienced estate planning attorneys will not only help you design an appropriate estate plan, but we will also ensure that your plan stays up to date as your needs change.

Estate planning involves expressing your beliefs, values, and how you wish to be treated, as well as protecting your assets, providing for your loved ones, and securing your legacy.

At SMC ESQ PLLC, we can help you create an estate plan that enforces your values, takes care of your loved ones, and ensures future medical and financial decisions align with your wishes.

We take a comprehensive and tailored approach to estate planning that is customized to your needs. We work in stages as needed, so you won’t feel overwhelmed by the process. Our main objective is to make estate planning easier for you.

Since each client’s family and financial situation is unique, we prioritize understanding your objectives before making any recommendations. We offer a variety of estate planning packages that provide essential documents and guidance, and we can address more complex issues as needed.

You don’t have to have everything sorted out right from the beginning. We collaborate with you to determine the most suitable plan for your situation.

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Our Houston estate planning attorneys provide comprehensive services for individuals, like yourself, seeking to prepare for the future. We offer a firm commitment to communicate promptly, and our legal practice is guided by our core values of empathy, service, and authenticity.

We have provided details of our services below to assist those who wish to explore their options, but we acknowledge that every individual’s circumstances are unique.

A Last Will and Testament is a key aspect of estate planning which is a legally enforceable document that outlines your wishes for the distribution of your property after you pass. Additionally, the document outlines the person(s) responsible for managing your estate until it is distributed.

Our Houston estate planning attorneys can tailor solutions to meet your specific needs, provide clarity on any uncertainties you may have, and offer guidance from start to finish.

Creating a revocable living trust is a crucial aspect of estate planning as it can minimize tax obligations and maintain confidentiality by avoiding probate or public disclosure of the will. Moreover, the flexibility of modifying the trust at any time is another significant advantage.

To administer a trust, a trustee is necessary, which can be an individual or an entity. Additionally, with a living trust, you do have the option to serve as your own trustee.

Our experienced attorneys can assist you in creating an estate plan that meets your long-term objectives while offering the flexibility you need.

A Medical power of attorney (POA) often referred to as an “advanced directive” is a legal document that allows you to appoint a healthcare representative to make medical decisions on your behalf in case you become unable to make them yourself. This can help ensure that your medical treatment aligns with your wishes and preferences.

By designating a medical POA, you retain a level of control over your healthcare even when you are unable to make decisions. This document can be particularly helpful in a variety of healthcare situations, ranging from short-term situations such as being unconscious during surgery to more long-term scenarios such as planning for long-term medical care or end-of-life decisions.

An advanced directive for durable power of attorney enables you to appoint someone to manage your financial affairs, property, and specific legal or business decisions. It’s crucial to bear in mind that durable power of attorney only pertains to legal, business, and financial matters.

For example, your chosen representative could pay your medical bills, but they would not have the authority to make medical treatment decisions unless you also grant them a Medical Power of Attorney.

Selecting someone for durable power of attorney necessitates thoughtful consideration, but it can be highly advantageous in the long run. At SMC ESQ PLLC, we assist clients in navigating this decision-making process and help them arrive at a choice that best fits their needs.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that established national guidelines for protecting the confidentiality of a patient’s medical records. This law explains why, for example, your spouse, who is a healthcare provider, is prohibited from disclosing the diagnosis of a mutual friend’s condition to you.

To authorize the disclosure of your medical information to specific people, a HIPAA Release Form must be completed. For instance, if you grant Medical Power of Attorney to your spouse or adult child, it is essential to submit a HIPAA release so that your healthcare providers can share critical details such as your diagnosis, condition, and potential treatment options with them.

Our attorneys can assist you in ensuring that your medical information is shared with authorized individuals while maintaining strict confidentiality.

A living will, also known as a Directive to Physicians, delineates your medical care preferences in case of a diagnosis of a terminal or irreversible condition.

This document allows you to express your views on whether you want life support to prolong your life in the face of a terminal illness. Besides ensuring that your medical treatment aligns with your preferences, it also provides comfort to your loved ones who may be uncertain about what decision to make.

Our estate planning attorneys in Houston possess extensive experience in assisting clients in drafting living wills that mirror their particular desires and concerns.

While Powers of Attorney encompass a wide range of situations, there are certain circumstances where they may not be sufficient. In such cases, appointing a guardian can offer additional protection.

A self-guardian is authorized to make legal decisions for someone who is incapacitated, while an estate guardian is responsible for making legal decisions on behalf of an estate. Both types of guardians are supervised by the court

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The selection of a guardian for minor children requires careful and thoughtful deliberation. This choice enables you to select the individual you wish to take care of your children in case you become incapacitated, rather than leaving it to a court to appoint a guardian without knowledge of your preferences.

Elder law planning aims to protect a portion of your assets to support you during your lifetime. This type of planning primarily focuses on preparing for long-term care needs, whether at home or in a nursing facility.

It also includes aspects like Medicaid planning, which a considerable number of elderly individuals qualify for but may be unaware of, in addition to special needs, veterans’ benefits, and guardianships.

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Assets that are categorized as non-probate are exempt from being governed by a Will, and as the name implies, they are not subject to probate proceedings. In the end, these assets may offer greater confidentiality to a family.

Assets classified as non-probate are not subject to the regulations of a Will, and as the name suggests, they are not subject to probate proceedings. Ultimately, such assets can provide increased privacy to a family.

Non-probate assets include assets that are:

• Owned with someone else, such as property
• Payable upon the person’s death, such as life insurance
• Assets in a revocable living trust

By choosing to include non-probate assets in an estate plan, you can set up your loved ones for more privacy during the process of transferring inheritances.

In addition, we provide ongoing support for your estate plan free of charge or at reduced rates through our Client Care Program. Our dedicated team will monitor your estate plan and any alterations in the law to ensure that it continues to satisfy your needs. We also offer the ability to make minor changes, like updating the names or percentages of beneficiaries, free of charge.

As part of our offerings, we work closely with your other professional advisors, and hold family meetings to discuss your estate plan to your loved ones with clarity and compassion, ensuring everyone understands and can move forward together harmoniously.