Chris Griswold, P.C. is a law firm in Oklahoma City that specializes in business and commercial real estate. The firm has been providing outstanding legal representation for individuals and corporate clients since 2001. Joe himself has acted as legal counsel for Fortune 500 companies such as Pier One Imports, J.C. Penney Corporation, and the like; and is known for his professionalism, expertise, and results-driven approach.
Dyer Life & Legal Team is a law firm based in Oklahoma City that provides customizable estate plans and consultation for businesses, as well as personal injury, tax, and federal state tax solutions. The firm offers a free consultation to clients and strives to handle each case in an effective, timely, and cost-efficient manner. Founder and managing partner Steve E. Dyer is a member of the John Maxwell team and is a John Maxwell certified life coach, trainer, and speaker on top of his legal expertise. He earned his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma and is admitted to practice in New Mexico as well as the federal courts of Oklahoma.
Graft & Walraven is a law firm based in Oklahoma City. Their practice areas include estate and business planning, asset protection, probate, special needs and adult guardianship, charitable planning, and more. The team at Graft & Walraven strives to provide a comprehensive yet affordable estate plans suited for each client's needs. Owner and founder Sara G. Murphy earned her J.D. from University of Oklahoma School of Law. She has since become a member of Wealth Counsel, National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Advisors Forum, and the Oklahoma County Tax, Probate and Estate Planning sections. She also offers pro bono services for hospice and end of life patients.
Law Firm of Talasaz & Finkneiner, PLLC is a law firm in Oklahoma City that offers legal services in cases involving real estate, estate planning, probate proceedings, surface title opinions, drilling or division order title opinions, due diligence, and curative instrument. Firm owners Rachel Talasaz and Isaac Finkbeiner both earned their J.D. from the University of Oklahoma School of Law. With Talasaz being an expert in business and oil and Finkbeiner being an expert in gas and drilling title process, the firm has been very successful in helping clients understand complex legal issues.
Marco Palumbo & Associates is a law firm based in Oklahoma City, that practices in areas of law including business, criminal, family, and juvenile law, as well as oil and gas law, real estate law, personal injury, sex offenses, DUI, violent crimes, and more. The firm is composed of highly qualified lawyers and has strong ties with various networks available to aid their clients' cases. The firm is also available to practice in all states and federal courts in OKC. Principal attorney Marco Palumbo earned his J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of Law, worked as a public defender in OKC for years, and has since represented clients in over 2,000 civil and criminal cases before starting his firm.
Founded more than 35 years ago, Postic & Bates PC is an estate planning law firm that serves clients in the Oklahoma City area. This firm is dedicated to helping clients plan wills and trusts, ensuring they gain a comprehensive understanding of the estate planning process and include all necessary information in their last will and testament. In addition to estate planning, this firm provides legal counsel for matters pertaining to probate, real estate, and elder law.
Robben & Associates, LLC is a legal firm that handles cases on corporate and estate planning; helping small businesses with legal needs in Oklahoma and Kansas. Their practice areas include estate planning and administration, business services, mergers, acquisitions, and business succession planning. Owner and founder Kendra Robben founded the company in 2009, shortly after earning her J.D., and graduating first in her class in 2007 from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the Oklahoma City University School of Law; teaching practical knowledge in owning and operating their law firm, much like she did.
Seda Law Firm is an estate planning firm helping individuals in Oklahoma City since 2018. Attorney Roberto L. Seda helps clients create new estate plans and adjust existing plans for beneficiaries to avoid probate processes before receiving listed assets such as real estate and stocks and bonds following the client's death. The law firm also offers advice on a suitable plan to meet client needs and helps clients establish a trust or create a will.
Thomason Law is a legal firm based in Yukon, Oklahoma City run by Jennifer Thomason who works personally with clients in cases which involve elder law, Medicaid planning, business formation, and more. Jennifer earned her J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of Law. Her passion for estate law and helping people is what led her to take up law; striving to break misconceptions that estate law is only for elderly people with money.
Winblad Law, PLLC is a legal firm based in Edmond, OKC which specializes in estate planning, asset protection, elder, and Medicaid law. The firm's office is a converted pre-statehood home, which gives it a homey feel with ADA-standards facilities; conducive to comfortable and quiet meetings regarding personal issues and planning. Owner and firm founder Richard Winblad earned his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma, College of Law, a peer rating of AV 'preeminent' by Martindale-Hubbell, and has appeared in the Oklahoma Supreme Court, District county in 76 counties Court, West District in OKC, and various Tribal courts.
An estate consists of the total assets that form an individual’s net worth, no matter how large or small. Estate planning attorneys use their in-depth knowledge of state and federal laws to help people best manage what will happen with their estates after they die or become incapacitated. Estate planning attorneys can prepare wills, form trusts, reduce estate tax burdens, and decrease or eliminate the need for probate court.
With the many intricacies of assets, taxes, and state and federal laws that can affect a person’s estate, an estate planning lawyer can be a valuable professional asset, no matter how large or small a person’s estate may be. An estate planning attorney can:
Estate planning attorneys can create trusts and wills. Through a will, an attorney can help a client designate their estate’s beneficiaries and assign an executor to represent the will in probate court. These attorneys can also create trusts, allowing a client to assign a trustee to oversee the estate, potentially avoiding probate court and holding assets to be distributed over time.
While both estate plans and wills officially document how their owners wish to allocate certain assets after their death, there are key differences. In estate planning, a will is often just one of several documents that form a comprehensive plan. In a will, people must designate a person responsible for executing their will after their death. The will can include guardians for their children when they die and beneficiaries to receive an inheritance of money, property, and other assets.
To create a thorough and effective estate plan, individuals should follow these steps:
The length of the process can vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the estate, the specific law office, and whether there’s an emergency or urgent need. If you’re using an attorney, you can generally expect it to take one to five weeks. You may be able to speed up the process by immediately providing your attorney with any bank statements or other documents they need.
A trust is an agreement between a grantor, a trustee, and a beneficiary. In this agreement, the grantor allocates funds or real property assets to the trustee to be held either until the grantor passes away or until a specific, agreed-upon date. At that point, it's the responsibility of the trustee to distribute funds or property to the beneficiary or beneficiaries. While there are similarities between a will and a trust, a will is a more comprehensive document that typically requires probate court, while a trust allows assets to pass to the beneficiary without probate.
When opening a trust fund, a grantor allocates a trustee to oversee and manage assets in the account. This trustee can sometimes be a relative, an estate lawyer, or a bank that acts as the legal owner of the trust. While holding assets, the trustee is required to file taxes on trust assets.
A living trust enables a grantor to manage their assets through a trustee while still alive. They can continually add funds and/or property to their trust fund by transferring them to the trustee, who accepts ownership of everything held in the fund. The grantor can name a beneficiary for their trust, and their assets will be automatically transferred to that person or establishment upon their death.
No, a lawyer is not required to draft or complete a will. However, there are some scenarios in which hiring an estate lawyer to assist with a will is a good idea, including when children or high-value assets are involved. Additionally, an estate lawyer can help to reduce probate fees and taxes paid by loved ones after a person dies. It's also best to work with a professional to ensure that the will addresses everything necessary, such as funeral plans, guardianship, and asset distribution.
Yes, and individuals who have a living trust should also have a will. While a living trust enables a person to leave funds and assets to a loved one when they're gone, a will is required to cover any assets that aren't included in the trust, such as guardianship of dependents, funeral plans, and forgiveness of outstanding debts, if applicable.
The cost of setting up a trust varies quite a bit depending on a variety of factors, including terms that are in place, special provisions for minor beneficiaries, and trustees' basic fees. In most cases, the minimum cost of setting up a trust is about $1,500, but depending on the factors mentioned above, this cost can increase by thousands of dollars.
