Estate Planning

In a recent discussion, Roy Oppenheim from Oppenheim Law addressed the importance of holistic estate planning. He emphasized that while estate planners focus on streamlining the estate to avoid probate and minimize taxes, it’s also essential to consider other factors. These include asset protection planning and potential issues related to family dynamics or potential discord. Oppenheim argues that an effective estate plan should harmoniously balance all these aspects, something often overlooked in typical estate documents. At Oppenheim Law, they approach estate planning holistically, ensuring that the estate plan is best suited to the family’s unique circumstances and needs.

Hi, Roy Oppenheim here for Oppenheim Law. One of the things I wanna talk about today is estate planning. It’s kind of interesting what I have found, is that a lot of times people just go to estate planners. And while estate planners can do a phenomenal job by doing exactly what you want, and that is to maybe try and shield some taxes when you die. And more importantly, the most likely thing they’re doing is trying to streamline your estate, so when you pass on, nothing really has to go through probate, everything goes through the trust, you have the trustees, and they take over the estate. And that’s great, but what they’re not taking into account necessarily are other issues such as asset protection planning, as well as maybe issues concerning family members, if there’s going to be some discord, some disharmony, and divorce planning.

And so, what we have to do is balance all these different interests in terms of estate planning, estate tax planning, asset protection planning, and I would call it, you know, family issues, and make sure that they’re harmonious with each other. And you’d be amazed how frequently I will get estate documents to us. And they work great as an estate, but they take no consideration into account about all the other issues that happens in life. And so, we’re very holistic in our approach. And so, you don’t come to us just for a estate plan, you come to us because we’re going to represent you and your family, and figure out what is best for your family based on the totality of circumstances. And every family’s different, and every set of circumstances are different. So, if you have these kinds of questions, feel free to call me, Roy Oppenheim…