Estate Planning and Probate

The estate lawyer’s role is to help a client arrange his or her financial affairs so that, upon the client’s death, the client’s assets are distributed exactly as he or she wishes and the tax consequences of distributing that property are minimized. The law of estates and trusts governs the use of certain types of instruments, such as wills, living trusts, or charitable trusts, to provide for an orderly distribution of the assets and payment of any debts or liabilities of the estate. Lawyers at Ackley, Kopecky & Kingery, LLP who work in estate planning and probate work closely with their clients, often over a period of many years, and tend to become close to their clients. Because of this relationship, the lawyer often knows a great deal about their clients’ financial matters and family relationships. The estate lawyer often becomes a true family counselor, helping the client work through both financial and personal issues.