J R Phillips & Associates, PC

Experience a Client-Centric Approach with Our Colorado Estate Planning Attorneys

We have more than 20 years of experience handling all matters of estate law. We take a client-centric approach to your care. We strive to address the entire family dynamic to ensure our clients leave a lasting and positive legacy for their loved ones. We are committed to providing open, transparent communication to all of our clients and any beneficiaries. We believe in providing all the information people need to make the best decision for themselves because the best decisions lead to the best outcomes.

At J R Phillips & Associates, PC estate planning law firm, we offer a free initial consultation in all fields, and our clients receive free consultations whenever they need them. Our founder, John R. Phillips is a Certified Financial Planner, as well as an adjunct professor at the Metropolitan State College of Denver. To make the process as convenient as possible for you, we are happy to make visits to homes, nursing homes, hospitals, or hospices, at your request.

Estate Planning Services in Colorado

Since you can never know what tomorrow may bring, it’s never too early to start developing an estate plan that can spell out your wishes, minimize potential stresses for your family and protect any assets that may be left to them in the future.

While estate plans can incorporate various directives and legal documents, our estate planning lawyers in Colorado are experienced at assisting our clients in all of their unique estate planning needs, including:

• Will-based planning: No matter your age, it is vital that you have a current will to protect your loved ones should the unexpected occur. We can assist you with a will, updating an existing will, and other vital planning estate matters.
• Trust-based planning: Living trusts, special needs trusts, and many other types of specialized trusts can be established to protect against over-taxation and retain the assets you have accumulated over time to pass on to those you care about.
• Guardianships and conservatorships: A guardianship or conservatorship can assure that your loved one is cared for if you become incapacitated or pass away.
• Estate taxes: Estate tax laws change over time, becoming higher or lower. Your estate plan should be geared to help you take advantage of the current existing methods by which your estate can be protected from unnecessary over-taxation.
• Powers of attorney: A power of attorney gives another party the right to act in your stead. This right may be limited, general, durable, or “springing.” which will only if you are incapacitated, and the standards by which this will be measured must be outlined in the document.
• Asset protection: You have accumulated assets over your lifetime, which can include property, stock accounts, land, buildings, vehicles, furniture, artwork, valuable animals and many others. Advanced asset protection strategies allow you to protect your assets for your beneficiaries.
• Family business succession planning: A family business has been built with years of hard work, talent, and dedication. Planning for succession is a critical aspect of ensuring the longevity of your enterprise and avoid serious problems for your family in the future.

Why You Need Our Colorado Estate Planning Services

It can be difficult to think about life’s end, and what your family would experience if you should suddenly die or become incapacitated, but it is an important part of ensuring your loved ones are cared for, even if you are no longer there. When a person passes away without a will or an established estate plan in place, the family can face some very difficult challenges. It may require many months, or even years for an estate to be finally settled, depending upon the size. These situations can lead to disputes that could have been avoided had your wishes been made clear.

Protecting Your Assets – and The People You Love

The most important issue in estate planning is protecting the people you love from the undue stress, legal costs, over-taxation, or being suddenly left without the resources to face life ahead. Other critical issues regarding who you designate to care for your children should you pass away are important aspects of planning your estate for young parents. We are with you for the long term, as you establish your lives and acquire more assets, have more children, or life brings changes that should be reflected in a will, trust, directives, or legal documents.

Elder Law

Along with estate litigation, elder law focuses on planning for your future needs and wishes. While issues associated with elder law can include Medicaid planning and your retirement, they can also involve healthcare directives, potential guardianship needs in the future and any issues that may come into play with long-term care insurance.

At J R Phillips & Associates, PC, our attorneys are skilled at devising a range of solutions to meet our clients’ evolving needs and concerns as they age. We encourage you to contact us for more specific information about your options regarding planning for you and your families’ future as you grow older.

Probate and Estate Administration

After a loved one passes, probate may be a necessary step in the administration of the estate. While working with the team at J R Phillips & Associates, PC can be critical to minimizing the potential costs, complications and duration of probate, it can also be essential when it comes to properly administering a trust or will. To learn more about our various probate and estate administration services, check out the following:

Trust and Will Contests

Unfortunately, the administration of wills and trusts is not always a smooth and peaceful process. In some cases, beneficiaries, fiduciaries or others may become involved in disputes that can quickly become complicated and contentious. When any dispute regarding wills, trusts or estates arise, the disputing parties can trust the Denver trust and will attorneys at J R Phillips & Associates, PC to help them resolve these issues as favorably and efficiently as possible.

Some of the specific types of disputes that we have a record of successfully resolving include (but are not limited to) those involving:

• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Claims against fiduciaries
• Trust disputes