Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, and Probate in Colorado

Jefferson County, Colorado Estate and Probate Attorneys

People often hear the term “estate planning” and think they don’t need the service because they don’t have an estate. The truth is, almost everyone has an estate if they own a home or other assets such as stock or bank accounts.

At its foundation, estate planning is communicating your wishes to your friends and family so they know in advance what you would want when you cannot tell them. It is about caring for minor children and family members who rely on you financially. It is about more than wills and trusts—it is about decision-making during the most vulnerable times of life. Young parents need to create an estate plan as soon as they begin their families and revise it as their families grow. These are all reason why it is valuable to talk to an estate planning attorney today.

We invite you to contact the estate planning lawyers at Oliver and Carney, P.C., to learn more about the legal tools available for you to ensure your wishes are followed, with:

• Medical Decisions with "living wills" (advance medical directives) that tell people what type of medical care you would want or not want to receive, and medical powers of attorney that specify who can make medical decisions on your behalf.
• Financial Decisions with general powers of attorney to enable someone to make financial decisions for you temporarily (such as when you are out of the country) or permanently (as in the case of Alzheimer's).
• Guardianship and Conservatorship Decisions that ensure the physical and financial care of underage children and vulnerable adults when you are no longer there to provide care.
• Distributing Property after your death through a will, a trust, a change in a deed, or a combination of tools to meet a variety of goals, such as minimizing estate taxes, providing for a college education, or preparing for an eventual transition into a nursing home.

Do I Need a Will or a Trust? Both?

At a minimum, everyone should have a legal will if they own any property that they want to pass along to family and friends.

Some people will be able to accomplish their goals better with a trust. Whether you need a will or a trust will depend upon the size of your estate and the goals you have for your assets. A trust is a better option when you seek to avoid probate (which can tie up your assets in court) or want to minimize estate taxes.

Every estate planning tool has advantages and disadvantages. We have been helping individuals and families develop appropriate estate plans that meet their needs for more than 30 years. You can count on Jefferson County estate planning attorneys Owen L. Oliver and T.J Carney for clear, sound legal advice that considers what estate plan offers the best approach for your particular situation.

Colorado Probate

We assist clients in Colorado and across the country who are looking for a Colorado probate lawyer to help them with probate or the administration of an estate in the Denver metropolitan area. Our experience in Colorado real estate law allows us to assist estate administrators or executors who wish to transfer or sell estate properties.

Contact our Arvada, Colorado, law office to learn more or to schedule a consultation.

Oliver and Carney, P.C.

7903 Ralston Road
Arvada, CO 80002
Telephone (303) 424-4463 ● Fax (303) 424-3629
Map and Directions ● E-Mail Us

Jefferson County lawyers Owen L. Oliver and T.J Carney represent clients throughout the Metropolitan Denver area, in Colorado communities such as Arvada, Golden, Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, Broomfield, Westminster, Superior, and Edgewater.