Live for Today. Plan for Tomorrow.

A Guide to Properly Planning Your in Louisiana

I urge you to read every word of this But having a will doesn’t guide as if your entire future depended guarantee all your decisions As the saying goes, there are two on it because … get carried out as you desire. things in life you can’t avoid – death and

Many people – outside of your family Allow me to explain … .

and friends – have their sights set on Fortunately, you can create an estate The reality is a will causes your the wealth you worked hard to create. plan that makes both situations easier for family to incur the expense of and Thanks to Louisiana and federal laws, your loved ones and allows you to control go through a court procedure called the number of people wanting what you how your assets get passed to your heirs. have, as well as the resources to get it, . Probate of your will can Of course, you’re here because you are greater now than ever before. actually prolong the process of distributing your property after your believe estate planning is a good idea. You worked hard for a long time. You death. Furthermore, due to You’re probably also aware that the saved when it seemed you had little to Louisiana’s stringent laws, invalid process isn’t always easy. Besides the set aside. You most likely wills often happen because proper legal components, estate planning forces you to think about your mortality. compromised purchases several times procedures weren’t followed when in your life. drafting and executing the And who enjoys the thought of passing documents. away? Now you realize you need to protect your financial affairs in preparation for A ceremony complete with certain Understand, though, you’re doing your when you’re not around. After all, if you formalities verified by a notary and family a good service by not putting off the don’t take control, the State of two is necessary to planning process any longer.

Louisiana will do it for you. create one of only two types of valid Estate law is somewhat like medicine.

wills in Louisiana. And since many While there are traditional, tried and true So what steps can you take right wills advertised on radio and TV are now? ways to plan your estate, less common drafted by people unfamiliar with solutions often offer you better benefits. Well, here’s your first fact to keep in Louisiana’s requirements, the Your options – like many in things in life – mind … documents they create are depend on your situation. worthless. If you treat your wealth like a Our goal for you is to reduce the money treasure map that can only be Additionally, regardless of your Uncle Sam receives and increase what discovered after you die, wishes stated in your will, Louisiana goes to your heirs (or causes you believe law imposes something called in). you’ve set up your family for a financial disaster. “.” Yes, contrary to And remember, estate planning isn’t what you may have heard, just for rich people … It’s for smart people! So start by taking inventory of your Louisiana still has “forced heirship.” assets. This includes your bank What Estate Planning Means Now: Louisiana’s forced heirship means accounts, investments, retirement you must leave certain assets to  I Want to Control My Property while I’m savings, insurance policies, property specific children or grandchildren if alive and well; and any business interests. they’re disabled at the time of your  I Want to Plan for Me and My Loved death or 23 years old or younger. Then determine your objectives for Ones if I Become Disabled or Have To Remember, forced heirship in Go Into A Nursing Home; each asset and who you want to inherit Louisiana requires additional  I Want to: them. Also, consider who you trust planning on your part. Give What I Have handling your affairs and medical care To Whom I Want if you become incapacitated. If you Louisiana also requires that your When I Want don’t, a judge who you’ve probably children give back any gifts you The Way I Want never met will do it for you. made to them within three years of  When I die, I want my assets to go to your death if demanded by a forced Of course, the most common tool to the people I love, without heir. This is called collation. The communicate your requests after you unnecessary cost or delay. gifts are then equally divided die is a will. between all of your children. If you do But remember, a will is only useful performs annual inventories of your not want this to happen you must sign after your death. So what happens if assets along with court visits to report a document before a notary and two you become physically or mentally on your situation. Furthermore, the witnesses stating you dispense with a incapacitated before death? person selected by the court as your child’s legal obligation of collation. guardian may not match your This is where a preferences. Other facts to keep in mind about wills: comes into play. Through a power of attorney, you designate a person you Think about this for a minute …  Distribution of your property trust, not the court, to manage your according to your will can take financial affairs if you become no Without proper planning in place, many months (even as long as longer capable. you can lose complete control of all year) due to notification of heirs, your assets in an instant … and leave payments for taxes and to If you choose a relative or friend as your family with costly expenses. creditors, and closing out any your agent, you probably won’t have to outstanding claims. pay them. However, you will likely need Not a pleasant thought, is it?  A will can’t keep your assets to negotiate compensation if you select private because you have to go an outside party, such as a lawyer, Proper estate planning gives you through the public probate court CPA or bank. maximum control. You get to play by procedure. your own rule book, instead of falling If you do become incapacitated victim to Louisiana’s strict regulations.  A will doesn’t always prevent without assigning power of attorney quarrels over your assets because to someone you choose, a guardian Schedule an Estate Planning Review your wishes can be challenged (called a curator in Louisiana) will Session with one of our experienced during the probate court procedure be appointed for you by the court. attorneys. The advice is FREE and by your relatives. This process comes with costs that can anything discussed remains easily exceed $8,000 and increase as confidential. Simply call (318) 445- These are just a few reasons why you your guardian, along with a second 4516 today to schedule your private, must properly draft a will and address person called an under curator, no-obligation session. all potential situations in writing.

Estate Planning with One Person in Mind…You

In Louisiana, without a specific estate settlement plan, your decisions. You simply get easy-to-understand explanations of your family could lose your lifetime of hard work. Even if you’ve options. specified who will get specific portions of your estate, the transfer of your assets after your death the way you planned may never happen. We know you want every conceivable hole in your estate plan filled. We also understand you don’t want to struggle making sense Worse yet, unnecessary estate taxes and lengthy legal of the complicated jargon, piles of paperwork, and ever-changing proceedings could cost your family a fortune. Louisiana and federal laws involved in the estate planning process.

Keep Control of Your Assets and Gain Peace of Mind Instead of making lofty promises, the attorneys at the Walker Law Group, LLC believe you’re better off getting real actionable advice Fortunately, you have options to protect your assets. Of course, the without a high-pressure sales pitch. Whether you speak to us in best solution depends on your situation. person or attend one of our educational programs, you get straightforward advice so you can … So don’t mistakenly believe a resolution is as simple as filling in the blanks on a few legal documents. After all, Louisiana estate-planning  Keep your money, laws are always changing and among the most challenging in the  Stay independent and in control, nation.  Protect your family, and  Never become a burden to your children. This is why we offer you educational presentations – we want you to be informed about the legal process. Informed decisions are the All services at the Walker Law Group LLC are delivered on a value, best decisions. Of course, we also welcome the opportunity to fixed-fee approach. So you know every cost upfront. represent you. Before getting to that point, however, you should have the information you need to make informed decisions. Unlike firms that charge you by the hour, our billing method means you’re never limited by time. You can always get questions answered If you haven’t worked with a lawyer before, you may be a little without worrying about an hourly fee every time you pick up the uneasy about the process. Your hesitation probably stems from fear phone, send an e-mail or walk in our office. of getting hit with an unreasonable fee, just to get initial advice, right? Our role is to serve as your family’s sounding board for critical Well, there’s no need to worry about this problem with the Walker decisions. You get the security that comes with contacting a trusted Law Group, LLC. Talking to us easy, whether on the phone or in advisor and asking “Is this the right move?” or “Can you look this over person. and tell me what you think?”

We won’t charge you to get your questions answered. Furthermore, If you need someone to stand by your side and solidify your estate you won’t get overwhelmed with legal jargon or pressured to make plan, call us (318) 445-4516 for your FREE Estate Planning Review Session.