Pinnacle Legacy Law Blog

Do You Have Planning Phobia?

Confronting your own mortality can be unsettling, so it’s easy to give in to the temptation of dealing with the here-and-now issues and procrastinate on planning for our eventual incapacitation and death.

Your American Legacy

Losing Control

Most people dread the thought of sitting in a room with a lawyer discussing how their assets should be managed and distributed if they become incapacitated or die. Most of the planning tools utilized by PLL legal teams leave the client in total control – including the power to invest their assets and, in most cases, the power to spend the assets as they choose while they are living. Your assets are just that. YOURS.

The Intimidation of Legal Jargon

A skilled estate planning attorney will help you reach a comfortable understanding of the issues in your estate plan that actually matter to you. In our experience, they are:

  • The person in control of your estate plan at every stage if you cannot do so yourself.
  • The people, charities, and other entities to who we leave our assets when we die.
  • The timing and distribution of inheritance to your heirs. A skilled estate planner will add value here because most clients do not look beyond outright distribution.

Not Knowing the Financial Investment Required to Create the Plan

Attorneys that utilize hourly billing as their only fee structure risk their clients ending up with a rushed, sloppy plan or paying an outrageous fee for excess hours worked. That’s why our legal teams at PLL utilize a flat-fee model so that our clients always know the financial investment required. This assuages our clients’ fears related to financial investment and reflects PLL’s core values to foster empathy and collaboration with our clients.

How to Find a Quality Probate Lawyer

It’s crucial to find probate lawyers specializing in estate law because they have the experience and understanding of this area of law to make the process as smooth as possible for you and your family.

Understanding the Basics: What is a Living Trust and Why You Should Consider One

What is a Living Trust? Understanding the Basics A living trust is a legal entity created to hold your assets while alive. It provides a way to transfer your assets to beneficiaries upon your passing without the need to go through the probate process. Avoiding the...

10 Reasons to Start Estate Planning Now

Although it may not be ideal to think about the future of your possessions after your departure, creating an estate plan ensures you and your assets are protected during and after your life. For those who haven’t started planning their estate, here are ten pressing reasons to use estate planning services sooner rather than later.

Estate Planning Mistakes Farmers and Ranchers Make and Avoiding Them

Farming or ranching is more than a means of livelihood – it is about preserving a legacy and unique way of life.  Unfortunately, many farmers and ranchers fail to make an estate plan.  The farm or ranch passed down for generations then ends up being sold and converted into non-agricultural use, cutting the legacy short and ending the family’s unique lifestyle choice.

Three Principles for Financial Independence

You can risk your time. You can risk your interest. But never, under any circumstance, risk your principal. If you have a principal, you can recover. If you don’t, you have to start from scratch.

What You Lose By Not Planning

The motivation to put a legal plan in place increases when you fully understand what you lost when you do not plan.

Why Hiring an Attorney Can Streamline the Probate Process and Prevent Family Conflicts

As many of you know, probate is a complex and often challenging process. It can be both time-consuming and expensive, and a multitude of paperwork and legal requirements can make it feel overwhelming. "Should I avoid probate?" is a frequent question many individuals...

It’s Planning Season

For each season, there is planning that you must do on the farm. To be successful, this planning must be done thoughtfully and in advance. Your life is no different. To properly plan for the next season in your life and the lives of your family, a well-executed estate plan is a must. Below are a few documents to consider when crafting a plan to protect yourself, your family, your business, and your legacy.

Understanding the Difference: Will vs. Trust – Which Do You Need?

Planning for the future is crucial, especially when it comes to the distribution of your assets after you're gone. Often, the question arises: do I need a will or a trust? Both outline your wishes regarding asset distribution but differ significantly in their...

Understanding the Benefits of a Revocable Living Trust: Avoiding Probate Made Simple

Can probate be avoided? The answer is yes, and one of the best ways to do so is by creating a revocable living trust. By transferring your assets into this trust, you effectively remove ownership from yourself and place it within it. In essence, the trust becomes a...

Start protecting your legacy.

Click the link below and schedule a call with a member of our team.  We will explain our unique process for working with farmers, ranchers and their families. The call is FREE!