The Law Office of Brian Neil Burg is devoted to helping you plan for your future and that of your loved ones through the use of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives and other legal documents.

Many people do not realize that, under the law, they can have a great deal of control over what will happen to themselves and their possessions in the unfortunate circumstances of either incapacity or death—provided the relevant decisions are made before those circumstances intervene.  Making decisions in advance and putting them into a legal document can assure that one's wishes will be carried out.

The best time to make decisions about those matters is now, while you are mentally alert and able to plan for yourself, your loved ones, and other possible beneficiaries of your good will and thoughtfulness, such as your alma mater or favorite charities, or even a beloved pet.  To avoid thinking about any type of estate planning until a possible prolonged illness, either physical or mental, or even the death of a loved one, is often waiting until it is too late.

There also are other life events along the way which should trigger thinking about estate planning; namely, life's major transitions:

• Marriage — When you get married, you are now combining two estates: it is time to make legal provisions involving your spouse.  That is especially relevant in second marriages and blended families.
• Divorce — If you are going through a divorce, you probably want to undo earlier arrangements that include your spouse: do you want your soon-to-be ex making life-and-death decisions on your behalf, or inheriting property which you'd rather leave to someone else?
• Birth — When you have a child, it is time to think about a guardian and plans for the child should something happen to you.
• Loss of a loved one — When a loved one dies, are there difficulties in settling his or her estate, or were there family disagreements about what was to be done?  Could advance planning have made a difference? 

Situations such as the foregoing are all good reasons to see an estate planning attorney, even if you already have some planning in place.  In fact, the mere passage of time is reason enough to have your current estate plan reviewed; changes in the law alone may result in unintended consequences even for the most comprehensive estate plan.

At the Law Office of Brian Neil Burg, initial consultations are free.  At the conclusion of the initial consultation, you will be quoted a fixed flat fee for the work requested.  With flat fee pricing, there are no sudden monetary surprises at the end.  (Because each case is individually assessed and everybody’s situation is unique, it is not feasible to give price quotations on this website or over the telephone.  A face-to-face consultation is necessary before a fair fee determination can be made.)