Hands-On Estate Planning in Richmond, Virginia
Now is a good time to make important decisions about your future. If you don't have a will, Virginia law will govern distribution of your property and assets when you pass away. If you don't have a living will, power of attorney or medical directive, the law will make your health care decisions for you when you cannot.
At the law offices of Sherri A. Thaxton, JD, PC, she strives to make a difficult process simpler so that you — and not the law — can make the decisions that count. Sherri Thaxton has a complete estate planning package available for you to cover all of you end-of-life care and estate decisions.
Walking Through the Process With You
She will sit down with you to explain every step of the estate planning process. If she has done her job right, you will not be confused or feel left out. At our law office, you are much more than a client — you are a person. Together, Sherri Thaxton will find solutions to each legal issue that arises while developing a comprehensive estate plan for you.
Contact our law office to talk with an attorney with more than a decade of estate planning experience.
Creating Wills in Virginia
Virginia has more formalities around will creation than most states. Buying a $50 will online is rarely ever enough. Likewise, while it is possible to hand-write a will — a holographic will/self-proving will — your descendants will have to take extra steps to prove that you were the one who wrote it.
An experienced estate planning lawyer can help you work through all of the formalities so that your last will and testament will hold up in court without requiring your heirs to jump over hurdles. A proper will can let your heirs avoid probate, potential will contests or other litigation and excessive estate taxes.
Advance Medical Directives and Living Wills
An advance medical directive allows you to make decisions about medical treatment and end-of-life care now so that your wishes are followed if you are physically or mentally unable to make decisions in the future. Part of the advance medical directive, called the living will, allows you to direct what medical professionals should do if you have a terminal condition that calls for life-prolonging procedures. Health care workers must follow your living will/advance medical directive.
Powers of Attorney
A power of attorney is a document that allows you to name someone to make decisions for you. This decision-making power can be small or more significant, temporary or permanent. For example, you can use a power of attorney to give someone (an "agent") the power to make financial decisions for you. It can also protect you if you are ever incapacitated, allowing your agent to take care of your affairs for you.
