Akron Estate Planning Attorney Serving Clients in Northeast Ohio

Estate planning is important for everyone in Akron, Ohio, regardless of age, health, or economic status. While many people assume that estate planning is only for wealthy people, or that it is only for older adults who are ill, it is important to know that everyone can benefit from estate planning. From drafting a will to filing advance directives, you can ensure that your wishes are met even if you are not able to voice those wishes yourself.

An experienced Ohio estate planning attorney at Weisensell, Mastrantonio & Niese, LLP, can speak with you today about getting started.

Types of Estate Planning Issues We Handle for Ohio Clients

Our Akron estate planning lawyers frequently handle many different types of estate planning matters, including but not limited to:

Drafting a will;
Creation of a trust;
Transfers of wealth and asset protection;
Financial power of attorney;
Guardianships;
Special needs planning;
Living will;
Healthcare power of attorney;
Medicaid and long-term care planning;
Estate administration; and
Business succession issues.

Drafting a Will in Ohio

It is extremely important to have a will that names your beneficiaries and clarifies how you want your property to pass from your possession to your family members, friends, or charitable organizations. Under Ohio law, if you die without a will, then you will not have a say in how your assets are passed on. Instead, your assets will be handled through Ohio’s intestate succession laws. Under Ohio intestate succession laws, the following people will inherit your assets:

Your spouse will inherit everything, regardless of whether you have children/descendants with that spouse;
If you do not have a spouse but you have children, then your children will inherit everything;
Your parents will inherit everything if you have no spouse and no children;
Your siblings will inherit everything if you have no living parents, spouse, or children; and
If you do not have any living relatives, then your property ultimately can end up going to the State of Ohio.

The intestate succession laws get more complicated when you have a surviving spouse and surviving children from another marriage or relationship. In order to avoid Ohio’s intestate succession laws, it is important to sit down with an Akron estate planning lawyer to draft a will that specifies how you want all of your property to be divided.

Considering Advance Directives in Akron

In addition to drafting a will, it is also important for everyone to consider health care advance directives, which are a variety of legal documents that make clear what kind of medical treatment you want (or do not want) if you do not have the capacity to make a decision, as well as to name another person to make these decisions for you. Examples of advance directives include:

A living will, which allows you to say what kind of medical treatment you want when you cannot say so for yourself; and
Health care power of attorney, which gives another party the ability to make health care decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.

High Asset Estate Planning in Ohio

There are numerous matters that high asset individuals need to consider in estate planning, such as trust creation, asset protection, and business succession. While not all individuals will need to learn about high asset estate planning issues, our attorneys are prepared to help with all of these matters.

Contact an Ohio Estate Planning Attorney

If you do not have your estate in order, it is time to begin working with an experienced and compassionate estate planning attorney in Ohio. Contact Weisensell, Mastrantonio & Niese, LLP at 330-434-1000 to learn more about the estate planning services we provide.