Lisa M. Slotnick, Attorney at Law

Estate Planning

Estate Planning entails planning for distribution of assets upon death while also utilizing the assets during one’s lifetime. An effective estate plan incorporates the person’s wishes upon death, while also structuring one’s assets in a manner that allows their current use.

Just as everyone is different, there is not a one size fits all estate plan. In our initial meeting, we will first determine your assets, and then discuss how you would like to distribute your assets upon your death. The type of asset and your ownership interest are very important when considering how best to structure an estate.

Not all property will pass through probate or through a will. An asset will pass directly to the listed beneficiaries upon your death, if there is a payable on death provision or a beneficiary designation on property, such as can be on a bank account, certificate of deposit, life insurance or an annuity. However, you can designate your “estate” as the payable on death or beneficiary designee.

Real property is another consideration. Most married individuals own real estate as joint survivors with rights of survivorship, which means that the complete ownership of the real property will automatically vest in the surviving owner. These examples illustrate how property can pass outside of probate court upon your death.

There are four general areas encompassing Estate Planning:

• Wills
• Trusts
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Health Care Planning

Please contact Lisa M. Slotnick, Attorney at Law, to discuss your estate planning needs.

Columbus, Ohio Estate Planning Lawyer