Estate Planning Attorneys in Vancouver

Compassionately Representing Clients in Washington & Oregon

Estate planning is essential for ensuring that your wishes are carried out in the event of your death or incapacitation. At Beaty Hatch PC, our estate planning lawyers in Vancouver have extensive experience handling a range of issues and situations. We listen to your concerns, goals, and preferences to create a customized estate plan that meets your specific needs.

Questions about estate planning? Call (360) 566-6966 to arrange an appointment and discuss your situation with a lawyer.

Customized Estate Planning

Every estate and situation is unique and requires a tailored approach. Our goal in creating your individualized estate plan is that the plan carries out your wishes, operates efficiently, is no more complicated than necessary, and avoids potential for conflict. We have in-depth knowledge of the law and recommend the most effective tools and methods to meet the specific needs of each client. We can advise you of your options and help you make the best decisions for your family.

We can help with a variety of estate planning tools, including:

• Wills
• Elder Law
• Estate Litigation
• Guardianships
• Powers of attorney
• Special needs trusts
• Health care directives
• Revocable and irrevocable trusts
• Community property agreements

We can listen to your wishes, assess your situation, and recommend the estate planning tools that will work to accomplish your goals and protect your loved ones. Once you have made the important decisions, we can create the documents that are needed to safeguard your estate, convey your wishes, and ensure that the intended beneficiaries receive the property, assets, and belongings you intend for them.

Common Estate Planning Mistakes

The most common estate planning mistake is failing to fully understand which assets will follow the terms set out in a Will and which assets will transfer by operation of law and not according to the terms of the Will. We provide consultation with legal counsel that will carefully explain how to ensure your assets will transfer according to your wishes.

Other common estate planning mistakes that increase probate expenses are the following:

• Failing to have a will properly be witnessed
• Omitting to name a child or spouse as a beneficiary without making it clear that you did so intentionally
• Failing to incorporate tax planning provisions if your estate is larger than the federal exemption for individuals to keep estate taxes as low as possible
• Failing to include a Special Needs Trust for any handicapped child or children
• Failing to provide for contingent beneficiaries if any of your beneficiaries predecease you
• Failing to name an alternate Personal Representative in the event the Personal Representative you name predeceases you
• Failing to provide trust provisions for any minor beneficiary
• Failing to name a guardian for minor children if the other parent is deceased
• Failing to provide a residuary beneficiary clause in your will
• Failing to have the signatures of witnesses to the will notarized

Make an appointment with an estate planning attorney to get your estate and affairs in order.

Representation for Probate & Litigation

In addition to helping our clients with the estate planning process, we offer legal services for probate and estate litigation. Our probate attorneys can provide assistance with the administration of an estate. When a dispute arises regarding an estate, trust, or guardianship, we provide legal representation to help you resolve disputes according to the Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act (TEDRA).

Contact our law firm at (360) 566-6966 for all your estate planning needs.