Wills & Estate Planning

You plan for your summer vacation and you plan for your grandchild’s birthday party, so why put off creating the most important plan of all? The Law Office of Gary Flynn aims to serve residents of Edison and Woodbridge, and other surrounding regions of New Jersey by encouraging early estate planning to ensure the financial security of both you and your loved ones. Gary Flynn is highly experienced and qualified in the facets involved in estate planning, including wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, elder law, nursing home planning, special needs planning and more. In addition to these facets, we can focus on post-mortem planning, which includes probate and trust administration. In all aspects of your estate plan, we strive to make the process more comprehensive and less burdensome on you and your loved ones.

Probate

When a loved one leaves a will behind, estate distribution cannot take place until the process of probate has been completed. Probate involves verifying that the contents of the will are accurate and ensuring that the will is distributed according to the guidelines set forth in the document. If you have been named executor of the will, your duties will include managing the estate, paying debts, and filing taxes. Gary Flynn and his team strive to make this process easier on grieving loved ones by handling complicated logistics and acting as a supportive guide through the legal matters of probate court.

Trust Administration

When a loved one leaves behind a trust (as opposed to a will), the complicated process of probate is not required. However, the trust administration process will still involve similar tasks for estate distribution. This process includes managing the estate, paying debts, filing taxes, conducting an inventory of the remaining assets, notifying beneficiaries, and distributing the estate according to the estate plan. With a professional and experienced will, trust and estate planning attorney, you can conquer the process of trust administration with confidence and ease.

Wills

Creating a will with a skilled and trained estate planning attorney ensures that your estate will be distributed only as you intend. Some people believe they can bypass formal estate planning by writing their own will. Although this may seem like a good idea, the do-it-yourself method usually ends up leaving a bigger burden on loved ones left behind. This is because it can be difficult to prove the exact intentions of the deceased during probate, and can subject your estate to high taxes if you fail to use the right language. An experienced estate planning attorney knows exactly what legal terms to use in a will to properly convey your wishes for estate distribution.

Living Trusts

Unlike a will, a living trust does not require probate due to the private nature of the document. Despite this advantage, trusts may not be for everyone. Living trusts mostly detail how finances and property will be distributed, but they lack the ability to appoint guardianship in the event that minors are left behind when a loved one has passed on. A knowledgeable estate planning attorney would be able to determine which document is best for you by listening to your unique situation and preferences for your estate plan.