Everyone - including you - has an Estate Plan. 

The question is whether you took the affirmative steps to put one in place.  If not, rest easy knowing that the Tennessee General Assembly has written one for you.  There, doesn’t that ease your anxiety, knowing that politicians have looked after you?  No, you don’t feel comforted?  Well, if you have never personally executed your estate plan, then your loved ones are stuck adhering to a rigid statutory scheme for purposes of divvying up your assets. This may be wholly inconsistent with your goals, or family dynamic.    

Think of a circumstance under which you would rather not leave a plan in place for your loved ones to follow, in the event something happens to you.  Better yet, say it out loud.  Sounds rather silly, doesn’t it?  An estate plan is as much for your loved ones, if not more, as it is for you.  Giving them the road map to navigate any variety of scenarios, ranging from a medical emergency to a death everyone sees coming, is incalculable in the ways it eliminates the anxiety and fear that comes when a loved one asks, “What do I do next?” 

Areas of Practice

Estate Planning

Everyone has an estate. Yes, even you. It may not be on par with Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates, but you do have an estate. You own “stuff” (accounts, real estate, personal property, life insurance, etc.), and you might even have minor children. If that is the case, particularly if you have minor children, you need a plan in place to ensure that your goals and directives are achieved. It is understandable that most people think of estate planning as one of those “things” they would rather avoid thinking about, let alone take the time to implement. Show the ones you love and care about, especially your spouse and children, that you have already planned for your possible incapacity, or death. There are many tools available that can guarantee that these loved ones possess a well-drawn map to follow should the unfortunate occur. Some of these tools – powers of attorney, living wills (advanced care directives), wills, and trusts – can spare your loved ones the fear and anxiety that often comes with the question, “What do I do next?” Our firm’s goal is to make sure that through proper planning, that question can be confidently answered.

Asset Protection

You have spent your entire life planning and saving, working to make sure that what you accumulated is protected not just for your use and enjoyment, but that of your beneficiaries.  Unfortunately, life has a way of interrupting your financial plans, especially by way of bankruptcy, litigation, or divorce.  Asset protection planning protects against only future and not present creditors and is not just for those of a certain net-worth.  Making use of a variety of statutory tools, including the Tennessee Investment Services Act of 2007 may allow you to transfer assets that may be protected from the types of creditors referred to above.  Our firm can help you determine if such a trust is right for you.