Estate Planning with a Newnan Lawyer

Guidance for your future

It is never too early to begin planning your estate. I help take the edge off the anxiety that comes with considering your end-of-life choices. We work together to prepare a legally sound plan that will give you and your family peace of mind.

Wills and trusts

A will is the building block of any estate plan. You should have a qualified lawyer help you create a will that will pass through probate successfully. Wills can be subject to challenge by everyone from creditors to disgruntled relatives, and I work closely with you to cover all the bases.

Probate costs and estate taxes can be a burden on your heirs. We can often reduce these expenses or avoid them altogether by using a living trust. You fund the trust with your assets during your lifetime, and upon your death the remainder of your estate is automatically transferred into the trust using a pour-over will. Assets in a living trust are not subject to probate. I help you decide if this scenario is right for you.

Advance directives

At any age, you may become incapacitated and unable to communicate your wishes about how you want your affairs to be handled. Georgia law provides for legally binding documents that allow you to communicate these wishes. A knowledgeable attorney can draft and file these important documents.

Durable power of attorney for financial matters

When you are no longer able to handle your finances, you may appoint an agent to handle them for you. A durable power of attorney empowers a trusted person to make decisions about your banking, investments, and anything related to your financial concerns.

Advance directive for health care

In Georgia, the advance directive for health care is a combination of a health care proxy and a living will. It allows you to state all of your medical preferences in a single document:

• Health care agent. You can appoint a trusted individual to represent your medical treatment preferences when you are no longer able to communicate with medical personnel.  You may be familiar with this person as a health care proxy.
• Treatment preferences. You can indicate what types of life-prolonging medical treatment you want to receive, and for how long.

Any advance directive prepared by a lawyer stands a better chance of being upheld in a court of law.  I work with you to create legally enforceable directives that will help you feel secure about your future.

Take comfort from a Newnan lawyer when you plan your estate

When you need legal advice on estate planning, be sure to make the right move. Contact the Law Office of Steven E. Fanning, P.C. for a free phone consultation.