Wills: Planning With a Purpose

Preserving a heritage for future generations, providing for a child with disabilities, dealing with the legal matters that follow the death of a family member–at Keating, O’Gara, Nedved & Peter, P.C., L.L.O. our probate and estate planning attorneys help Nebraska families deal with the present and prepare for the future.

What will happen to your most treasured possessions after you die? More importantly, what will happen to your children?

Through a simple will, you can have the final say in answering these questions.

What is a will?

By definition, a will is the legal declaration of your intentions which you desire to be performed after your death. Although this definition has withstood the scrutiny of lawyers and judges for two centuries, it does not adequately portray the function of a will.

A will should be thought of as one part of an estate plan, a plan which represents the culmination of a person’s life — his or her work, hopes and dreams. It is not easy to accumulate an estate in this day of high taxes, rising costs of living and of educating children.

An estate represents what is left after a lifetime of work, and generally it is accumulated in the hope of passing on some measure of support to your family.

The best way to carry out your hopes and dreams is through careful estate planning. Your will is the most important part of an estate plan, and perhaps the most important document you will sign in your lifetime. It serves as a substitute for what you would do for your family if you were still alive.

This quote is from an excellent publication on wills by the Nebraska State Bar Association.

To schedule an appointment or speak with one of our attorneys about a will and your estate plan, call 888/234-0621.

Estate Planning

Whether your estate is simple or complex, our lawyers will provide practical advice and draft sound documents for your estate plan. Elements the attorneys might recommend, depending on your unique situation, include the following:

• A will naming a guardian for your minor children and directing probate court in the distribution of property in the event of your death
• A living will, health care directive, and durable power of attorney to see that, in the event you are not able to make decisions for yourself, medical and financial matters are handled according to your wishes
• Living trusts, charitable trusts, special needs trusts, family limited partnerships, or other instruments to ensure the smooth transfer of assets and minimize tax and probate expenses
• Helping companies with business succession planning

Probate law, estate administration, trust administration

• Lawyers at our Lincoln firm represent local and out-of-state clients in Nebraska probate courts, handling all aspects of probate and estate administration, including property transfers.
• Our attorneys handle probate litigation, including will contests and trust contests.
• We help families provide for children and vulnerable adults through guardianships and conservatorships.
• Our firm is prepared to serve as administrator of trusts

From offices in Lancaster County, probate and estate planning attorneys at Keating, O’Gara, Nedved & Peter, P.C., L.L.O. serve clients in communities throughout Nebraska, including Lincoln, Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte, and Beatrice, providing sensitive and effective counsel. If you would like to speak with a member of the firm, or have any question for us, please contact our office to make arrangements for a consultation.