Sage Legal, LLC
ESTATE PLANNING
Estate planning is more than just "doing a will." It is about creating a carefully crafted plan that is tailored to your family. That is based upon your desires for what happens when you are gone. That passes on your values, as well as your assets.
One that ensures your family enjoys quality time when you are gone, not squabbly time.
Our plans are done on a flat fee basis, so you know what you are paying before we start our work.
​
Read on to learn more about the common documents that are part of a comprehensive plan.
Wills
A will is the most commonly known estate planning document. A will provides a road map to a probate court judge telling him or her what you want to happen to your assets when you are gone. It does not keep your family out of probate court.
​
Wills must be executed according to certain rules, which vary state by state. DIY or online options may or may not satisfy your needs and express your wishes properly. You probably would not be surprised that we are not a fan of generic, online options.
Trusts
There are many kinds of trusts. A revocable trust is a very common trust you set up now, while you are still alive, that allows your family to avoid the probate process later. It also allows you to build your money and education values into your planning. It is ESSENTIAL that you actually transfer your assets into the trust in order for your family to avoid probate.
​
New Hampshire offers some advantages for out of state clients who establish NH trusts to reduce or avoid hefty estate taxes. If you live in Massachusetts (where estate taxes start at just $1,000,000), a NH trust may be for you.
Powers of Attorney
Powers of attorney give someone else the legal authority to make decisions and take actions for you when you cannot. Whether it is because of an accident, disability, or being out of the country, a durable power of attorney and a health care power of attorney (also called a health care proxy) are an essential part of every comprehensive estate plan.
​
These documents carry serious obligations with them and should not be taken lightly - or blindly downloaded from the internet and just "filled out."
Parents of minor children...
If you have minor children, they're probably the reason you're doing an estate plan
Cookie cutter plans may allow you to name a guardian, but they won't cover all your bases.
​
At Sage Legal, we go above and beyond to make sure your bases are covered, from naming short term guardians, to documenting your desire to make sure certain people would never be in charge of your kids, to leaving a legacy that lets them know just how much you really do love them.
​
And don't forget to let your babysitter know who to call if they ever need to.... Download our free Babysitter Refrigerator Form so your babysitter knows what to do if the worst scenario arises.
​
Where to start
The last thing we want is for you to stop by, think about doing an estate plan, then get the itch and do it yourself online on a generic site with little or no guidance.
Everyone over the age of 18 benefits from some level of planning. It can be tough to know what you need, what you don't, what can wait, what can't.
​
We've made it easy for you to start with the basics. Where you go from there will depend on your own situation.
​
But before you decide you want to get started NOW and go do something you may regret (online DIY programs, we're looking at you), we want you to get started with the basics in a way that is Way Better Than DIY.
​
Want to know more?
