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Without a written will, Connecticut intestate law decides who inherits and how, and the probate court appoints a guardian for your minor children. A simple will lets you make those decisions yourself. This is the foundational document for every estate plan.
Without a healthcare power of attorney, if you can't speak for yourself, decisions about your care default to an order set by Connecticut statute, which may not be the people you would choose. A healthcare POA names who decides, in what order, and includes your living-will preferences.
Without a financial POA, if you are incapacitated, no one can pay your bills, manage your accounts, or sign documents on your behalf. A financial POA names that person and stays valid even during incapacity.
Beneficiary designations override your will. If they're outdated (an ex-spouse listed, no contingent beneficiary, a deceased relative still named), your assets go where the designation says, not where you would want. A 30-minute review usually catches the worst issues.
Probate in Connecticut can often take 12 to 18 months and may involve significant legal fees depending on complexity. Most families can avoid probate for major assets with proper trust funding or correct titling. Understanding what probate would mean for your specific situation is usually a 15-minute conversation.
If both parents are unavailable and no guardian is named in your will, the probate court appoints one. Naming guardians in your will lets you make the decision yourself, including primary and backup choices. This is one of the most important reasons parents create wills.
Without a trust structure, money inherited by minors gets held in a court-supervised account until they turn 18, at which point they receive it outright. A trust lets you delay access (commonly to age 25 or 30), restrict use, and name someone to manage it.
Naming someone as guardian without telling them is the most common mistake parents make. The guardian needs to know they have been named and needs the practical information (schools, medical providers, important family relationships) to step in if needed.
Higher-risk professions (first responder, doctor, business owner, etc.) face creditor claims most families don't. Certain trust structures may help create an additional layer of protection from creditor claims, depending on the specific situation. This is a conversation worth having if it applies to you.
Connecticut intestate law assumes a first-marriage scenario. If you have children from a prior marriage, or your spouse does, what happens to assets after one of you dies can be very different from what either of you would want. This is a common reason for trust planning.
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At Legacy Law Partners, we design custom solutions to help clients protect their assets while creating and enhancing the legacy they leave behind.
