Planning For Life Transitions
Estate & Trusts Law is a natural fit for our family law and adoption practice. Significant life transitions such as the birth or adoption of a child, marriage or divorce, or the passing of a loved one, remind us that estate plan documents such as a will, may need to be updated, or new documents drafted following these events or at the conclusion of some legal proceedings.
Even during legal proceedings such as divorce, custody, or financial support matters, it may be important to complete critical documents upfront, such as a Power of Attorney or Healthcare Directive, in the event of your incapacitation during the proceedings. These documents can later supplement other important documents such as a will or trust.
Knowing that you have a plan in place brings peace of mind in the present and is a gift to your loved ones.
Updating your Will or trust documents following a significant life event, such as the birth of a child, is very important. Maybe even more so after a life event, such as marriage or divorce.
A thoughtful estate plan will ensure that your wishes are clearly stated, and your interest and assets are protected.
Taking action now gives you the opportunity to control who is appointed to step in on your behalf, such as a power of attorney or healthcare agent, if you are incapacitated, even for a short period of time, which we have witnessed firsthand during the Covid pandemic.
- Your care in the event of incapacitation
- The care of minor children
- Avoiding the need to probate your estate through the courts
- Prevention of unintended beneficiaries
- The distribution of assets
- Tax implications
- Avoiding disputes within the family
- Cabin planning
- Gifting of personal property
- Charity designations
- Estate and gift tax planning
- Planning for children
Having the benefit of time is a gift, not only in life but when considering your estate plan. Time allows you to plan well in advance, allowing you to be more strategic in utilizing options that may allow you to implement ideas such as asset transfers, healthcare directives, and power of attorney. All of these, and other considerations, not only reduce the decision-making burden on loved ones, but may also minimize tax liability or assets.
Have any of these changes occurred in your life since you executed your will or trust? If so, we recommend updating your estate plan documents as soon as possible. In some cases, your existing will or trust may be invalidated by certain life events.
- Have you married or divorced?
- Have relatives or other beneficiaries for the executor died or has your relationship with them change substantially and no provision been made in your will or trust for this contingency?
- Has the mental or physical condition of any of your relatives are other beneficiaries or your executor changed substantially?
- Have you had more children or grandchildren, or have children gone to college or moved out of your home?
- Have you moved to another state?
- Have you bought, sold, or mortgaged a business or real estate?
- Have you acquired major assets (car, home, bank account)?
- Have your business or financial circumstances changed significantly (estate sales pension salary ownership)?
- Has Minnesota state law (or have federal tax laws) changed to affect your tax in estate planning?
If you update your estate plan, we recommend that you also update your final instructions and will with the addresses and phone numbers of beneficiaries, trustees, executors, and others mentioned in estate planning documents.
Knowing that you have planned for the inevitable brings peace of mind. Taking care of your business is a gift to your loved ones who will not have to go through the rigors of probate or try to determine what your wishes might have been about the care of your children, distribution of assets, or district division of property. Furthermore, you can decide, ahead of time, wishes for charitable gifting, legacy planning, business succession, and designation of personal artifacts. Our experienced attorneys will walk you through all the possible considerations.
Hourly Fee Services
Lori L. Paul
ATTORNEY
Since 2004, Lori has been helping individuals and families achieve peace of mind through drafting and implementing legal documents to establish how their medical and financial affairs will be handled upon their death or incapacitation. She assists seniors and people with disabilities in health care and long-term care planning, guardianship, retirement, Social Security, and Medicare/Medicaid planning. Additionally, she assists entrepreneurs and business owners through all stages from starting a business, to buying or selling a business, contract negotiations, or drafting and reviewing deed, lease, or title documents. She has conducted over 50 seminars on estate planning and probate since 2010.
At Children’s Hospital, Lori serves as the primary legal advisor to senior leadership and management for IT, real estate, research, and Foundation groups. She completes a wide variety of complex transactional work including contract drafting, negotiations, conducting legal research and regulatory review, and crafting risk assessments. Also included in her practice are the drafting and negotiation of real estate leases, letters of intent, purchase agreements, event, and professional services agreements, independent contractor agreements, and SaaS, hardware, and software agreements. Lori also advises on compliance and security matters pertaining to third-party technology vendors and develops best practices for addressing potential legal and business risks.
Jolene D. Baker Vicchiollo
Principal Attorney & Founder
Jolene is the founder and principal attorney at the law firm of Baker Vicchiollo Law located in Edina Minnesota, representing individuals and families in matters of divorce, child support, custody, property division, nonmarital claims, and parenting time, as well as estate planning, nuptial agreements, adoption, paternity, and grandparent rights. Admitted to practice in Minnesota since 1999, and in private practice for the past 23 years, Jolene has extensive experience in district courts throughout metropolitan counties, establishing a highly regarded practice in litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and collaborative divorce.
Jolene teaches family law as a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis.
Planning For Life Transitions
Estate & Trusts Law is a natural fit for our family law and adoption practice. Significant life transitions such as the birth or adoption of a child, marriage or divorce, or the passing of a loved one, remind us that estate plan documents such as a will, may need to be updated, or new documents drafted following these events or at the conclusion of some legal proceedings.
Even during legal proceedings such as divorce, custody, or financial support matters, it may be important to complete critical documents upfront, such as a Power of Attorney or Healthcare Directive, in the event of your incapacitation during the proceedings. These documents can later supplement other important documents such as a will or trust.
Knowing that you have a plan in place brings peace of mind in the present and is a gift to your loved ones.
Packages & Fees
Hourly Fee Services
LORI L. PAUL
Since 2004, Lori has been helping individuals and families achieve peace of mind through drafting and implementing legal documents to establish how their medical and financial affairs will be handled upon their death or incapacitation. She assists seniors and people with disabilities in health care and long-term care planning, guardianship, retirement, Social Security, and Medicare/Medicaid planning. Additionally, she assists entrepreneurs and business owners through all stages from starting a business, to buying or selling a business, contract negotiations, or drafting and reviewing deed, lease, or title documents. She has conducted over 50 seminars on estate planning and probate since 2010.
At Children’s Hospital, Lori serves as the primary legal advisor to senior leadership and management for IT, real estate, research, and Foundation groups. She completes a wide variety of complex transactional work including contract drafting, negotiations, conducting legal research and regulatory review, and crafting risk assessments. Also included in her practice are the drafting and negotiation of real estate leases, letters of intent, purchase agreements, event, and professional services agreements, independent contractor agreements, and SaaS, hardware, and software agreements. Lori also advises on compliance and security matters pertaining to third-party technology vendors and develops best practices for addressing potential legal and business risks.
JOLENE D. BAKER VICCHIOLLO
Jolene is the founder and principal attorney at the law firm of Baker Vicchiollo Law located in Edina Minnesota, representing individuals and families in matters of divorce, child support, custody, property division, nonmarital claims, and parenting time, as well as estate planning, nuptial agreements, adoption, paternity, and grandparent rights. Admitted to practice in Minnesota since 1999, and in private practice for the past 23 years, Jolene has extensive experience in district courts throughout metropolitan counties, establishing a highly regarded practice in litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and collaborative divorce.
Jolene teaches family law as a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis.
More About Us
Updating your Will or trust documents following a significant life event, such as the birth of a child, is very important. Maybe even more so after a life event, such as marriage or divorce.
A thoughtful estate plan will ensure that your wishes are clearly stated, and your interest and assets are protected.
Taking action now gives you the opportunity to control who is appointed to step in on your behalf, such as a power of attorney or healthcare agent, if you are incapacitated, even for a short period of time, which we have witnessed firsthand during the Covid pandemic.
- Your care in the event of incapacitation
- The care of minor children
- Avoiding the need to probate your estate through the courts
- Prevention of unintended beneficiaries
- The distribution of assets
- Tax implications
- Avoiding disputes within the family
- Cabin planning
- Gifting of personal property
- Charity designations
- Estate and gift tax planning
- Planning for children
Having the benefit of time is a gift, not only in life but when considering your estate plan. Time allows you to plan well in advance, allowing you to be more strategic in utilizing options that may allow you to implement ideas such as asset transfers, healthcare directives, and power of attorney. All of these, and other considerations, not only reduce the decision-making burden on loved ones, but may also minimize tax liability or assets.
Have any of these changes occurred in your life since you executed your will or trust? If so, we recommend updating your estate plan documents as soon as possible. In some cases, your existing will or trust may be invalidated by certain life events.
- Have you married or divorced?
- Have relatives or other beneficiaries for the executor died or has your relationship with them change substantially and no provision been made in your will or trust for this contingency?
- Has the mental or physical condition of any of your relatives are other beneficiaries or your executor changed substantially?
- Have you had more children or grandchildren, or have children gone to college or moved out of your home?
- Have you moved to another state?
- Have you bought, sold, or mortgaged a business or real estate?
- Have you acquired major assets (car, home, bank account)?
- Have your business or financial circumstances changed significantly (estate sales pension salary ownership)?
- Has Minnesota state law (or have federal tax laws) changed to affect your tax in estate planning?
If you update your estate plan, we recommend that you also update your final instructions and will with the addresses and phone numbers of beneficiaries, trustees, executors, and others mentioned in estate planning documents.
Knowing that you have planned for the inevitable brings peace of mind. Taking care of your business is a gift to your loved ones who will not have to go through the rigors of probate or try to determine what your wishes might have been about the care of your children, distribution of assets, or district division of property. Furthermore, you can decide, ahead of time, wishes for charitable gifting, legacy planning, business succession, and designation of personal artifacts. Our experienced attorneys will walk you through all the possible considerations.
