Wills and Estate Planning

Estate Planning in New Jersey: Wills and Trusts

For obvious reasons, too many people delay the estate planning process. If you put off estate planning, you run the risk of losing your own independence and the right to decide how your assets will be distributed. When people die without wills in New Jersey, the probate court use well-established laws to decide how their estates will be distributed. These laws may run contrary to the wishes of an individual.

Wills and trusts do not exist only to protect the wealthy. Almost everyone should have an estate plan that at least contains a will, an advance health care directive, and health care and financial powers of attorney. These documents protect your own medical and financial independence and your right to distribute your assets how you see fit upon death.

Lenahan & Rockwell has offices in both Bridgewater and Freehold. We are an AV-rated* New Jersey law firm with a legal team that has more than 75 years' legal experience. We have built a reputation for providing our clients with strong legal advice, practical solutions, and thorough guidance through the legal issues that touch their lives.

Wills, Trusts and Powers of Attorney: The Contents of an Estate Plan

Drafting wills can be a relatively straightforward process. The key is to take the time to ensure that your wishes are described clearly to minimize the possibility of confusion after your death. Besides wills, complete estate plans often include:

• One or more trusts, perhaps to minimize tax consequences, care for special needs children, or maintain more control over asset distribution
• Advance health care directives, also called living wills, to clearly state wishes with regard to medical care, surgery, and resuscitation in the event of incapacity
• Powers of attorney to designate alternate decisionmakers regarding finances and health care

Guardianships and Conservatorships

As part of the estate planning practice at Lenahan & Rockwell, we offer legal advice to families regarding guardianships and conservatorships. These are legal tools that families or close friends may use to obtain the legal right to take control of the physical care or finances of a person incapacitated by either age or illness.

Contact Lenahan & Rockwell

We dedicate ourselves to customized representation of each individual client. To learn more about our law firm or to discuss your estate planning needs, please schedule a confidential consultation with one of our lawyers by calling us at 908-231-7900 in Bridgewater or 732-761-1311 in Freehold, or filling out our intake form.