Learn why estate planning is essential for everyone—not just the wealthy. Discover how to protect your family, assets, and future with a personalized plan.
Read More
If you and your partner aren’t legally married, estate planning is essential. Without the legal protections that marriage automatically provides, unmarried couples often find themselves vulnerable in times of crisis. With medical decisions, financi…
Read More
Being named as an executor in someone’s will can feel like a compliment. But it also comes with serious responsibility. You’re expected to manage the estate’s finances, communicate with beneficiaries, work with the probate court, and possibly d…
Read More
Nursing home care is expensive. In Ohio, it can cost over $100,000 a year. Without proper planning, those costs can drain your savings and leave little behind for your loved ones. The good news is you have options. With the right estate planning stra…
Read More
Choosing a trustee is one of those decisions that doesn’t seem complicated – until you start thinking about what’s really at stake. You’re not just picking someone to carry out a few instructions. You’re handing someone the legal author…
Read More
Life is unpredictable. A sudden illness, accident, or cognitive decline can leave you unable to make critical decisions about your finances, healthcare, or personal matters. Without a plan in place, your loved ones could face unnecessary legal battle…
Read More
Estate planning is something many people put off, but if you pass away without a will, your assets won’t be distributed according to your wishes. Instead, they’ll be handled under Ohio’s intestate succession laws. Dying without a will in Ohio c…
Read More
At Legacy Law Group, Ltd., we understand how important it is to have an estate plan that not only outlines your wishes but also stands up to potential legal challenges. Losing a loved one is already a difficult time, and the last thing anyone wants i…
Read More
Estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy—it’s for anyone who wants to protect their assets, ensure their wishes are honored, and avoid unnecessary legal battles. While it can be difficult to invest time and money now for something that might…
Read More
Losing a loved one is one of life’s most challenging experiences, and dealing with the nuances of estate administration can add unnecessary stress during an already difficult time. In Ohio, when a person passes away, their estate often must go thro…
Read More
Download our free “Estate Planning Checklist: The Essential Guide for Making your Best Estate Plan in Ohio.” The checklist walks you through the steps you need to address to have the plan that is right for you and your loved ones.
Protecting your Family’s Future – All about Wills, Trusts & Probate
Download our free “Protecting your Family’s Future – All about Wills, Trusts & Probate” book. First published in 2020, this comprehensive guide walks you through the essentials of estate planning, giving you the knowledge you need to safeguard your loved ones and their future.
Put in its most simple terms, estate planning involves putting your affairs in order so as to maximize the benefits that your assets can provide to you during your life and to those you desire to benefit from it after your death. Estate pla… Read More
What Does a Proper Estate Plan Include?
A proper estate plan to provide for the needs of your family may include:
An adequate Will or Trust
A written agreement concerning the status of your assets
If you already have an estate plan, it should not be considered permanent. Conditions, as well as your desires, may change. Estate plans should be reviewed at least every two-three years but, additionally, any important change in your life demands… Read More
What Happens if You Don't Have a Will or Trust?
If you do not have a Will or a Trust and have not used other probate-avoiding techniques, upon your death your assets will pass according to the laws of the state which has jurisdiction over your assets. The “state plan” may not provide for th… Read More
What Other Probate Avoiding Techniques Are There In Addition to Living Trusts?
The following methods are often used to avoid probate: joint tenancy title, community property title, bank account trusts, pay on death accounts, life insurance proceeds, retirement proceeds (IRA’S, TSA’S, 401K’s, etc.), retirement pla… Read More
What Should I Bring to My First Meeting?
People often ask what they should bring with them to their initial estate planning consultation (we call this “the Discovery Meeting”) with one of our attorneys.
As we discuss in Our Planning Process, the Discovery Meeting is our oppor… Read More
I Already Have an Estate Plan. Why Should I Think About Changing It?
We find that many people already have an estate plan, but it does not meet their current planning needs. They may have a Will that was prepared many, many years ago, or they may have a trust that prepared more recently, but those plans may not be… Read More
What Does an Estate Plan Cost?
As you might imagine, we get that question all the time. It is a difficult question to answer because fees are determined by the type of plan we put together, and that is determined by your goals, objectives and asset mix. The planning fees can ra… Read More
How Much of an Estate Do I Need to Have In Order to Set Up a Trust?
There is no “bright line rule” for determining whether a person needs a trust as a part of their planning. The answer for any particular person will depend on their own planning needs and planning goals.