Estate Planning Attorney in Auburn Indiana

Estate planning is the creation of a definite plan for protecting your assets while you are alive and distributing them after your death. Your estate includes anything that you own, such as real estate, business interests, personal property, bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance proceeds, and payments that are owed to you.

Auburn Indiana estate planning lawyer, Zachary Lightner, assists individuals, families, business owners, and charitable organizations in planning for the future. He helps individuals regarding the preservation, management and transfer of wealth through various vehicles. Our Auburn will and trust lawyer also represents individuals and corporate entities in carrying out fiduciary duties in estate and trust administration. Additionally, we help business owners with succession planning and support charities through tax compliance and donor-directed giving.

We use a variety of legal tools to implement your estate plan, including—

Last Will and Testament—to name beneficiaries of your assets upon your passing
Trust (revocable or irrevocable)—to allow a chosen Trustee to manage assets for the benefit of another
Financial Power of Attorney—to name one or more agents to make financial decisions for you if you cannot
Health Care Power of Attorney/Appointment of Health Care Representative—to name one or more agents to make health care decisions for you if you cannot
Living will—to make your medical wishes known to healthcare providers and agents in the event of terminal illness
Funeral Planning Declaration – to make known your wishes with regard to your funeral and burial
HIPAA release—to permit the sharing of your confidential medical information when necessary
Charitable giving—to provide for your favorite charities with the added benefit of favorable tax consequences
If you’ve already created a good foundational estate plan, then your next step is to consider whether you need advanced estate planning. Zachary Lightner can integrate advanced planning with the plan you already have in place.

Circumstances in your life also may have changed. If you’ve gotten married or divorced, had or adopted children, bought or sold a business, retired, moved across the state or cross-country, or lost your spouse, consider consulting a legal professional because any of these life events can have a direct impact on your estate plan. Estate and gift tax laws change over time and will impact your initial estate plan as well. Review and update your estate plan with a qualified professional estate attorney at Lightner Law Firm.