Parents can’t seem to do enough for their children. You feed them. You shelter them. You pick them up, and drop them off. You pay for every little thing and attend countless soccer games, school plays, and parent-teacher nights. But besides the day-to-day routine, how can you truly serve your children for years to come?
Introducing Keenan Copple, Esq., a long-time Denver resident and University of Colorado School of Law graduate catering to families across the state. Estate planning and administration are Keenan’s most popular services among Colorado families.
Estate planning encompasses drafting wills, forming trusts, and establishing advanced medical directives prior to death. A thoughtful estate plan can maximize your assets and protect your family in the event of your death, but it’s also important for maintaining healthy family relationships. According to Copple, “a thoughtful estate plan promotes harmony and fairness among your children and other family members, which can prevent costly and time-consuming legal disputes.”
Such disputes can get expensive. The associated legal fees, delays, and resulting litigation can rapidly deplete estate funds. But, says Copple, “When a thoughtful estate plan hasn’t been established, I think the real tragedy is the irreparable damage that can be done to family relationships.”
When asked how long the estate planning process takes, Copple said it depends on the client: “Sometimes my biggest challenge is client procrastination. I get it! Contemplating your own demise and compiling financial information isn’t the most fun. But once you’ve submitted the relevant information, it can take as little as one or two weeks to wrap up.”
On the other hand, estate administration occurs once a decedent passes away. Keenan often helps families carry out the proper administration of trusts, navigating them through the Colorado court system and providing the necessary time for clients to drive: “Generally speaking, Colorado has a fairly simple probate process. But, even so, it can seem overwhelming when folks have just lost a loved one. So, it is rewarding to be helpful when my clients are going through a hard time.”
So who should consider establishing an estate plan? According to Copple, anybody who has experienced a major life event or change in financial circumstances is a fit: “If you've recently gotten married, had a child, moved to a new state, or divorced, for example, it’s a good idea to consider an estate planning check-up.”
Keenan’s closing words caution against “DIY” estate planning and estate administration, which often leads to worse-case scenarios: “I certainly understand the appeal of low-cost online services, but they can lead to unintended consequences and unexpected costs. In a lot of cases, it ends up costing more than if they would’ve just called and started with an attorney from the beginning.” In other words, using the internet as an estate planning guide can lead you astray.
For an estate plan that secures you and your family’s future, professional legal help is a must-have. Visit Keenan Copple’s website at kcopplelaw.com to dig deeper into her services, or call (303) 819-6415 for a free estate planning consultation.
