Planning for the future involves more than deciding who should receive your property. Your estate plan can also provide instructions for financial decisions, medical care, and asset management if you become unable to handle those matters yourself. A Powell estate planning lawyer could help you put those decisions into legally effective documents that reflect your priorities.
Working with an estate planning attorney also allows you to consider how each part of your plan fits together. At DuPont Law Group, we take the time to understand your family circumstances, finances, and long-term goals before recommending a strategy. The result should be a plan that provides clear direction rather than leaving important decisions unresolved. Contact our team today to schedule your consultation.
Building an Estate Plan Around Your Priorities
Estate planning starts with deciding which goals your documents need to support. These may include controlling how assets pass, planning for incapacity, or providing clearer instructions for the people who may need to act on your behalf. Under Ohio Revised Code § 2107.03, a valid written will must be signed and attested by at least two competent witnesses.
A complete plan may involve more than a will. Depending on your assets and goals, we may discuss documents and planning tools such as:
- Trusts that will hold and manage selected assets
- Financial powers of attorney for decision-making during incapacity
- Healthcare powers of attorney for appointing someone to carry out your medical decisions during incapacity
- A living will that addresses your wishes for medical care if you can’t communicate them yourself
- Beneficiary designations that coordinate with the broader estate plan
Trusts can serve different purposes depending on how you structure them. Ohio Rev. Code § 5804.02 sets requirements for creating a valid trust. An estate planning attorney in Powell could determine whether a trust fits your goals during an initial consultation.
How Can an Estate Plan Protect More Than Property?
Your plan needs to address what happens if you cannot make decisions for yourself. Estate planning guidance from our Powell attorney may include preparing powers of attorney to ensure people you trust have appropriate legal authority when needed.
For financial matters, you may consider a durable power of attorney.. Under Ohio Rev. Code § 1337.24, it remains in effect after incapacity unless the document includes a different instruction. A properly prepared document can give an agent authority to handle specified financial matters without requiring you to give up control while you can still act for yourself.
Healthcare planning requires separate consideration. Under Ohio Rev. Code § 1337.12, an adult of sound mind may create a durable power of attorney for healthcare. This document allows you to choose someone to make healthcare decisions when they meet the legal requirements. Clearly identifying that person and documenting your preferences can reduce uncertainty during a medical crisis.
Keeping Your Estate Plan Aligned With Your Finances
Your estate plan should change when your circumstances do. Marriage, divorce, major asset changes, or shifts in your financial goals may affect whether your existing documents still work as you intended them to.
At DuPont Law Group, our lead attorney also holds the Certified Financial Planner® designation, which adds a financial perspective to Powell estate planning discussions. We could review your current plan and identify areas that may require updating as your life and finances change.
Contact a Powell Attorney for Estate Planning Guidance
A well-structured estate plan gives you a way to document your decisions before someone else needs to act on your behalf. It can also reduce uncertainty about how you want others to handle your property and financial affairs.
If you are ready to create a plan or review documents you already have, a Powell estate planning lawyer at DuPont Law Group could help you evaluate your options and take the next steps. Contact us today to discuss an estate plan designed around your goals.
Greg DuPont, JD, CFP®, is a well-respected estate attorney, financial advisor, public speaker, and published author. He centers his multiple businesses around education, guidance, and relationship-building. This comprehensive combination gives him, and his team, the opportunity to effectively serve both individuals and their families. He is a life-long resident of Central Ohio and spends the majority of his time with his wife, Julia, and daughter, Sophie.
