Trusts and Estates Planning

Our Personalized Approach to Trusts and Estates Planning

In today’s fast-paced, internet-fueled world, the legal industry has shifted drastically to accommodate the fact that the information gap between the general public and the professional has lessened somewhat. This trend is particularly sharp in personal transactional matters, like trusts and estates.

Many firms offer generic trust packages with re-used provisions, which are meant to reduce the cost of creating a trust. After all, much of the general public no longer believes that a customized estate plan is necessary given the costs associated with creating one.

At Policastri Law Firm, our Washington, DC estate planning lawyers believe that generic estate and trust planning is fundamentally inadequate. There is still a place for genuinely personalized planning services. With a skilled attorney at your side, you can develop a comprehensive plan that will protect your assets and your loved ones, including your pets.

Using a Trust to Plan for the Future

A trust is an important legal tool that gives people the power to decide for themselves what happens to their property and how certain affairs should be resolved in the event the person dies or becomes incapacitated.

A trust can also be used in some cases to avoid the complicated probate process that accompanies a will. That often saves loved ones from the stress that can come with a drawn-out court battle.

A living trust avoids much of the potential court wrangling after a person’s death by transferring assets while he or she is still alive. The person creating the trust can make his or herself the controlling trustee and designate a successor to eventually take over and distribute the property according to clear instructions. The document can be made revocable and be written in a way that allows the person creating the trust to continue to use the assets.

A family trust, on the other hand, transfers the property to the trust upon the person’s death. Because it is created as part of a will, this type of trust is also subject to probate.

How Our Washington, DC Estate Planning Lawyers Can Help

At Policastri Law Firm, we are committed to personalized advocacy in estate and trust planning. Our attorneys help the people that we represent decide for themselves how to prepare for the future.

This personalized approach requires us to gather a significant amount of information about each client, their personal situation and their needs and goals. We take the time to build a truly collaborative partnership from the start of the process. Our clients are valued partners with whom we develop transparent and communicative relationships. This high level of engagement affords us the access necessary to identify their unique planning challenges and develop a course of action that will best meet their needs.

If you are interested in collaborating with our Washington, DC estate planning lawyers, we are happy to schedule a consultation. Our firm’s office is conveniently located at Jefferson Plaza in Rockville. Contact us online or call 240-660-2219 to schedule a consultation.