Winchester Estate Planning Attorney
Take the time to prepare for a happier future.
Estate planning is planning for your life, and the future of your loved ones. The process involves important legal steps to ensure that when you are no longer able to provide for them, your family will be taken care of.
Drafting the necessary documents goes beyond clarifying your wishes in writing. You are providing your loved ones peace of mind by making the probate process easier, less stressful, and less costly.
Estate Planning Administration: Carefully Crafting Your Legacy
We have represented Virginia residents with all aspects of elder law, estate planning and estate administration.
Specific areas of our practice include:
- Wills and trusts (including special needs trusts)
- Powers of attorney
- Advanced medical directives
- Guardianships and conservatorships
- Long-term care planning
- Elder abuse protection
- Probate assistance and avoidance
- Tax Avoidance or Reduction
For answers to common questions on Estate Planning and Administration, please read our frequently asked questions.
“Patient & Thorough
Initial consultation was reasonably priced and thorough. We had questions regarding a somewhat complex elder law situation – buying land held by a supplemental needs trust. Josh was patient and thorough. We then had him draw up the paperwork for the purchase and he did a good job with that as well. He took the time to understand what we wanted vs just producing standard documents.”
“Outstanding Job.
Josh did an excellent job assisting us in putting together our Estate and Trust. He was very knowledgeable and informative. He answered all our questions and took the time to ensure we had what we needed.”
Discover the confidence that comes from knowing your child’s future is secure.
To learn more specifics about estate planning to protect your child, download our Free Guide on the Top Five Ways to Protect Your Child with Estate Planning.
Protecting Your Business and Legacy
Business owners face unique challenges in estate planning.
You need to ensure your business will not only continue, but also thrive, when you pass. Too often, businesses become liabilities for owners’ family after they pass.
We work with you to make ensure that this will not happen, and that the business will continue to provide for your family.
Our business succession planning frequently goes beyond family members and can involve associates, co-owners, and employees.
“Great Experience!
My husband and I sought Mr Hummer’s help in creating our Will, Power of Attorney, and other associated documents. This was a very important process to us, as we wanted to ensure that all documentation was in place for our children in the event our death or other tragedy.
We appreciated Josh’s recommendations for language, etc. He was very specific and helpful in making sure he had all of the necessary information to create our Will. His care and concern for our purpose in creating these documents was very genuine. I would highly recommend Mr Hummer!”
“He gave her a voice!
I cannot thank Mr. Hummer enough for actually listening to my Great Aunt and giving her a voice in her personal legal matters. She has been trying for several years but her concerns have been poopooed away by others not wanting to either get involved or not willing to accommodate her needs.
Mr. Hummer came to her, treated her with dignity and actually listened to her wishes and came up with a plan of action she was comfortable with and followed through with her wishes in a very timely manner. Thank you Mr. Hummer for giving her a voice that is loud and clear!”
Estate Administration: Guiding Families Through the Probate Process
The death of a loved one is a difficult time for family members already facing challenging and uncertain futures.
Our job in estate administration is to help the family of the deceased make sure the deceased’s assets are distributed according to their wishes and the law.
The objective is to get loved ones through the process with minimal disputes and stress.
Our specialties include:
- Wills
- Trusts
- Advance Directives
- Living Trusts
- Probate
- Elder Law
“Power of Attorney and Advanced Medical Directive.
Mr. Hummer drew up Power of Attorney and Advance Medical Directive forms for my father and helped walk my father through the process.
Mr. Hummer was very professional and patient throughout the process and was willing to meet us during non-work hours to accommodate our schedule, as we were visiting from out of town and had to make a flight after the signing.
Mr. Hummer made himself available by phone and was very responsive to any questions. I was glad to find him from local references and was very happy with his work.”
Estate Planning FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is estate planning?
This process may also involve important personal decisions, such as indicating who you would want to be guardian of any children under the age of 18 and authorizing someone to make financial and medical decision on your behalf, if you were to become incapacitated.
Estate planning can involve several fields of law, including property, wills, trusts, future interests, insurance, employee benefits, healthcare and taxation.
What is an estate?
When should I write a will?
Dying intestate will result in a court-appointed guardian for your children, rather than one that you have specified in your will.
What happens if I die without a will?
If you do not create a will, many decisions regarding your assets will be made by either state laws or the decision of the Circuit court. For instance, if you do not indicate a preference for the guardian of your children under the age of 18, the Circuit court, with reference to Virginia law, will have full authority to determine a guardian.
Following funeral costs, debts, and other expenses, your estate will go to your spouse in its entirety, unless you have children from a previous relationship. If you have children from a previous relationship, they will receive two-thirds of your estate, and your spouse the remaining third. If you do not have a surviving spouse, then the estate will go your children. If you have neither spouse nor children, it will go to your parents. And if your parents are deceased, then to your siblings. If you have no surviving siblings, then your grandparents. If not have no surviving grandparents, then your surviving aunts or uncles. And so on and so forth, per the Virginia Law of Descent and Distribution.
If you wish to alter this process at all, then you must have a legally-recognized will.
What is a will?
In a will, you typically name
1) your direct beneficiaries, who will receive those assets which you explicitly name,
2) your alternate beneficiaries, who will receive the property if the direct beneficiaries were to pass away before you, and
3) residuary beneficiaries (and alternates,) who will receive all property not left to other beneficiaries directly.
After the author of the will passes away, the will goes through probate, the legal process of being proved in court to be legitimate, before it is then implemented by the executor/personal representative/administrator that the author indicated in the will.
What is a trust?
Further, trusts (unlike wills) can be private and are not recorded in the public records. In order to form a trust, you will transfer your property into the name of the trustee who will manage the trust. You can be the initial trustee.
The trustee will have full ownership and control of all the property in the trust, subject to the terms of the trust agreement. In the trust, you can name the beneficiaries of your assets after you pass, much like you would a will.
If you name yourself as the trustee, you can appoint a successor, who will become the trustee upon your death and be fully responsible for the distribution and management of the estate.
What is the difference between a will and a trust?
A trust is also a legal document that can function like a will as a tool for the enunciation of the creator’s last wishes, but can also be used before death and avoids the probate process. (See above section: What is a trust?)
What is probate?
How do I avoid probate?
How much does writing a will typically cost?
What is a financial Power of Attorney?
What are the taxes on my estate?
There is a federal tax of 40% (in most cases) of all estates which are over an exemption amount currently set at $5.49 million.
Also, the beneficiaries of an estate may be responsible for income taxes on any amounts from an IRA, 401k, or other benefit or retirement plan owned by the decedent.
What is an executor/administrator/personal representative?
How do I appoint a guardian for my children?
While a court can overrule a guardian selected in a will, courts are required to give great weight to the preferences of the parents regarding their choice of guardian.
What is an advance medical directive or living will?
What is the process if I use you for my estate plan?
We will then prepare the documents and give them to you for review. Once they are acceptable, we will schedule a time for you to come in to execute them in the legally required fashion.
Estate Planning Blog
Prepare Differently: How Relational Estate Planning Can Change Your Loved Ones’ Lives
“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” -Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie Let me ask you something: Who do you love? There’s probably a certain someone or several family members that come instantly to mind: a spouse or partner, children, siblings, or others....
Do Stepchildren Have Inheritance Rights?
Putting your stepchildren into your will is as simple as with any other person you want to inherit. Learn more about how an estate planning attorney can help you include your stepchildren when preparing for your future.
Is Probate a Concern Only for Those With Large Estates?
A lot of people aren't sure if they really have enough valuable assets to worry about estate planning, or if probate will be a concern for their estate. But estate planning isn't just for those with large estates. Everyone should have at least a will as part of their...