Preparing your family’s financial future can be an intimidating process. Although it may be possible to do it alone by obtaining the necessary legal documents, there are so many intricacies that are easy to miss, which can cost your family greatly in the long run.
Do you want to make sure your heirs receive all your hard-earned assets after your death? Did you know that if you have a net worth over $166,250 at death, you will incur substantial probate fees? With housing prices rising in California, it is likely your estate will be subject to probate fees, if you haven’t adopted an adequate estate plan.
For example, if the value of your home, autos, deferred compensation plan, other savings accounts, other investments, and other property total a value of:
Estate planning with the creation of a Living Trust, allows your heirs to get the full inheritance you want to give them, and avoid the government delays and death related fees that will otherwise occur.
The Wagner Law Group has developed the Union Members Estate Planning Program (“UMEP Program”). The Program provides a set of estate planning documents designed especially for members of public safety labor unions, including police associations, firefighter locals, deputy sheriffs associations, etc. Our documents focus on the particular needs and financial profile of a public safety employee, although we will be tailor them to each individual client.
Common factors of the financial profile of a public safety officer, addressed by the UMEP documents:
Most public safety officers in California own a home that puts them in a financial category where avoiding probate on death could save the family thousands of dollars. Probate is a time-consuming, costly and public court proceeding that is required to pass property from a decedent to his or her heirs or desired beneficiaries; probate can be avoided through the use of a living trust and other estate planning vehicles.
Unlike most workers in the private sector, most public safety workers have a pension plan, and perhaps a significant balance in a 457 Plan. Our documents account for this financial profile by creating beneficiary designations integrated into a thorough estate plan structured around a living trust. We are very familiar with the operation of defined benefit pension plans, and can coordinate with them
Unfortunately, first responders are more subject to a sudden debilitating injury or death than the average person, and we have health directives and durable power of attorney forms for such an occurrence. In the tragic situation of a line-of-duty death, there will likely be significant death benefits from the federal and/or local governments to your family, possibly up to $500,000. You may wish to make sure those monies go directly into trust funds for your children.
The Aaronson Law Corporation works with an affiliated nationally recognized law firm, the Wagner Law Group, www.wagnerlawgroup.com, which has been established since 1996. The Wagner Law Group has spearheaded this program in its continued mission to provide excellent legal solutions.
We offer special pricing for public safety officers. Our standard price for the estate plan document package (and related advice) described above is $2,500. In appreciation for your service to the community, there will be a 5% discount, to $2,375, for any public safety employee or retiree. Alternatively, if your employee association or IAFF Local endorses our program, there will be a 10% discount, so the price will be $2,250. These prices are good for any estate planning file opened by April 1, 2022.
For more information, please contact Arthur Aaronson – AAaronson@UMEP.law Phone: 844-522-2211 Los Angeles area offices in Encino and Cerritos
Affiliated Firm: Wagner Law Group Contact: Shana Saichek; SSaichek@wagnerlawgroup.com; Phone: 619-232-8702