Estate Planning

Bauer & Associates assists individuals and families with the creation of all types of estate planning documents ranging from the preparation of a simple will to more complex family limited partnerships. Preparing a will or estate plan is one of the greatest services you can provide for your loved ones.

At Bauer and Associates, our goal is to assist you in careful, meticulous planning and answering all of your questions in regard to clearly stating and communicating your wishes to your family members. When you need a dependable and experienced estate planning attorney in DeLand, DeBary, Orange City, Deltona, or another area of Volusia County, please contact us for a consultation.

Estate Planning Services

Wills

A will is a document where one expresses what he or she wants to be done with his or her assets upon death and who is to be in charge of such distribution. A will is used in the probate process to know what the decedent wanted done. A will must be executed with certain legal formalities for it to be valid. Wills can be simple or very complex. Proper advice from a legal professional is recommended.
More Info on Wills >

Trusts

A trust is a written instrument where a grantor appoints a trustee to hold assets and distribute them accordingly to the terms of the trust document. Trusts can avoid probate and taxes. A trust is typically a separate document that takes effect upon execution. Trust provisions can be included in wills. More Info on Trusts >

Power of Attorney

A power of attorney is a written document used for a person to appoint another to act as their attorney in fact. The agent or attorney for the person signing the power of attorney has fiduciary duties and must act in the best interest of the principal. Powers of Attorney can grant general or specific powers and authority. Recent changes in the law should make one seek legal advice concerning this document. More Info on Power of Attorney >

Living Will

A living will is a written directive that a person does not want to be kept artificially alive when the person has an end stage conditions, is in a persistent vegetative state, or two physicians have determined there is no reasonable medical probability for recovery.

Health Care Documents

In these documents the maker appoints individuals who have the authority to make health care decisions when the person is unable to do so. Typically the appointed person also has the authority to obtain medical records.

Medicaid Planning

An attorney can assist in setting up or distributing one’s assets so that certain governmental programs may be available if needed. In that such laws and rules are constantly changing, legal advice is necessary.

Special Matter

There are more complex ways to make sure that one’s estate is in proper order so that assets are not subject to creditors, taxes, or attorney fees and costs. The vehicles typically include the establishment of Limited Liability Companies, Charitable Trusts and Family Limited Partnerships.