Estate Planning & Probate

Craig T. Matthews & Associates, LPA creates estate plans to smooth the way for successful transitions. Estate planning is an essential step toward legally ensuring your loved ones are provided for and your assets are protected at and after your time of death. Estate planning helps to remove uncertainties during the disposition of current and projected assets while minimizing gift, estate, and income tax. Effective Estate Planning is also important in avoiding or reducing the complexities that arise during probate and often lead to litigation.

These are just a few of the important goals we review and establish during Estate Planning:

  • Making a Will
  • Creating a Trust
  • Health Care Directives
  • Guradianships
  • Financial Power of Attorney
  • Protecting Your Property
  • Protecting Your Business
  • Naming Beneficiaries
  • Life Insurance
  • Estate Taxes
  • Funeral Expenses
  • Final Arrangements

Blended Families
Death, Divorce, Second Marriages, Stepchildren, and Blended Families

Blended families can present unique estate planning goals, and create unique opportunities for the disruption of those goals… Family emotions run deep, and blended families are no exception. Emotions can result in aggressively defended litigation, with the attendant costs and delays. An experienced elder fraud litigator is needed to obtain and analyze financial and medical records, and present the evidence to the judge or jury in such a manner that the true story is revealed. Continue Reading »

SPENDTHRIFT TRUSTS: Are your assets safe from creditors?

Do you have a revocable trust with a spendthrift provision?  Do you think it will protect your assets from creditors?  Do you think your trust will protect your beneficiaries from those creditors, during your lifetime?  Think again!  Under Ohio Rev. Code § 5805.06, the protections of a revocable trust can be broken by creditors, regardless of the spendthrift provision and your expectations. Continue Reading »