Your Estate Planning Lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama
Initiating or updating an estate plan can be sought for a number of reasons—with significant life change being a main precursor. Multiple life shifts can call for estate planning, including marriage, divorce, children, second marriages, newly blended households, and spousal loss.
But while these major life changes make estate planning all the more necessary, they are by no means exclusive. In fact, people in virtually every season and walk of life can benefit from sound estate planning. All this said, estates shouldn’t be taken lightly. Get in touch with us for estate planning help in Birmingham.
Everyone Needs Estate Planning
Contrary to popular belief, estate planning isn’t exclusive to life’s signature transitions. Many people think that planning doesn’t apply to them, perhaps because they don’t have children, aren’t married, or can’t see their estate being worth the trouble.
At Waters Sullivan, we’re here to dispel that myth. The financial and emotional costs of putting off estate planning often outweigh the costs of the planning itself. Even for those who feel reassured in the current status of their assets, the benefits for proper estate planning can’t be overstated.
Where Our Representation Excels
Navigating the nitty-gritty of legal minutiae can be a complicated affair, especially if practice areas in estate administration and planning aren’t a strong suit. As part of the Estate Planning and Probate Law arm of the Five Points Law Group, Kristin Waters Sullivan and her support staff are equipped with the expertise needed to successfully maneuver many legal hurdles, even complex probate matters. We handle a range of estate and asset situations, including:
Adoptions;
Guardianships;
Vulnerable Adult Protection;
Trustee Representation;
Restructuring and Contesting Trusts;
Incapacity Planning;
Estate Administration;
Adoption of Wills and Trusts;
And Estate and Tax Planning.
Our legal system isn’t always as cut and dry as we’d like. Legal considerations are often complicated and carry quite a bit of nuance to them. Navigating this complex landscape effectively, with all its critical contours, requires representation that knows the ins and outs of wills, trusts, and estate planning.
Our Practice Areas
At Waters Sullivan, this line of representation is where we excel. We specialize in practice areas that particularly benefit you and your estate. For instance, we help handle family business succession, keeping your assets in the family where they should be. We also help maneuver your assets through tax implications (including trust usage) and issues involving foreign assets or beneficiaries.
Our areas of practice extend to altruistic endeavors as well. Our services can help maintain and bolster philanthropic missions, including foundations and charitable trusts. Plus, we aid in deciding what’s best for surviving minors, beneficiaries who have a disability, and prodigal family members who need a tight financial leash. With sound counsel in estate and probate matters, you can rely on Waters Sullivan to help handle your assets—and voice your wishes, rather than other’s whims.
Why Trust Our Expertise
Due to the nature of our law firm’s representation, in both planning and estate and litigation, for both fiduciaries and for families, an opportune position presents itself. We’re uniquely arranged to help pinpoint possible litigious issues, craft solutions aimed at reducing strife between family members, and keeping your wishes wholly respected.
Your Future Wishes Assured
As mentioned, our services involve a variety of estate, probate, and litigation matters. And we’re not here to discriminate—we can help safeguard your assets for future holdings, in true accordance with your wishes. For wills/trusts, we can help set up a guardian for minor children, and name an executor to carry out your last will and testament.
We also handle prospective health care needs, should they arise. In case of incapacitation, we can help issue an advance directive, or health care proxy. This would be a person you trust to make critical medical decisions on your behalf should incapacitation befall you, whether that’s short-lived or permanent.
Financial Counsel
As for entrusting finances, we can help appoint an individual to oversee your financial decisions in case you ever find yourself unable to do so yourself, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis.
Our Take On Trusts
Our work specializes in trusts, which can be thought of as a kind of future planning Swiss army knife. Trusts can address a wealth of needs, including asset protection for loved ones, family and charity provisions, business and tax succession planning, and estate transfers.
Trusts not only offer a versatile planning arch; they afford you sovereignty in your legacy’s trajectory. We’ll work with you to identify the type of trust that will suit your needs. This could be a special needs trust, an assortment of testamentary trusts, a family trust, or an irrevocable trust. Plus, we’ll help ensure your trust is customizable to your specific set of circumstances and overall wishes.
Plan Your Estate With Us in Birmingham, AL
At Waters Sullivan, our experience trends with real estate, probate law, estate planning, and all manners of asset management and protection. That puts us in a prime position to help shore up estates for the future and aid in keeping our client’s wishes heard and respected. We are attorneys who care immensely about ensuring your legacy remains yours, and always your own.
While other law firms tackle various forms of counsel, law, and litigation, we specialize in key estate and asset areas—and it shows. Our experience with wills, trusts, estates, and more allow us to be planners you can continually count on. Contact us for professional help planning your estate, will, trust, and more right here in Birmingham, Alabama.