Areas of Practice
Areas of Practice
Trusts and Estate Planning
Whatever the size of your estate, planning ahead is always a good idea. The goal is to transfer your estate to those you have chosen without the delay and cost of probate/court involvement. The tools can involve a living trust, beneficiary deeds and beneficiary designations on financial accounts. If you have minor children, you should also have designated guardians ready in the event of an emergency – either death or disability. And speaking of emergencies, you can be more confident that your wishes will be respected if you have proper powers of attorney in place. Be prepared and avoid surprises.
Probate
Nothing proves the value of advance planning more than having a close family member die without the more desirable planning documents. Even with a Will, a probate is normally necessary unless the total estate is under a certain amount – typically less than about $70,000. The cost of legal assistance can vary from about $2,000 to much, much more. The process will take from 7 months to well over a year. Although with the proper guidance, the estate can be distributed much sooner.
Adoption
Ron has over 30 years of legal experience in the field of adoption – domestic adoption, international adoption, step-parent adoption and embryo adoption. Domestic and International adoptions are primarily the province of licensed child placing agencies in Colorado. However, even when you are adopting domestically or internationally, you may have the need of legal representation to explain your rights, terminate parental rights or finalize your adoption. In addition, a step-parent adoption can usually be handled by the adopting parents, but having an attorney could make the process less stressful. Whatever your adoption plans are – or if you are just unsure which path to follow – Ron Stoddart would be pleased to assist you.
Non-Profit Corporations
The form of your business or charitable enterprise should facilitate accomplishing your goals and objectives. Talk with someone who has worked in both the for-profit and non-profit worlds and discuss what the advantages and disadvantages of each are in your particular case. If a non-profit corporation is appropriate, I can help you make sure you comply with IRS regulations for making donations to your charity tax-deductible.
