YOUR FAMILY. YOUR PLAN. YOUR TERMS.
Life doesn’t come with guarantees, but your estate plan can. Without one, Connecticut law decides who receives your assets and who cares for your children, not you. A properly drafted plan puts those decisions back in your hands, so your wishes are honored and your family is protected.
Attorney Meghan Smith works with Tolland-area families to build estate plans that are clear, complete, and built around your life, not a generic template.
Estate Planning Services
Every family’s situation is different, and your plan should reflect that. Our founding attorney, Meghan Smith, takes the time to understand your goals before recommending a strategy, so you end up with a plan you actually understand, not just paperwork.
Our services include:
Wills
A will names who receives your assets, who raises your minor children, and who carries out your wishes. A clear, properly executed will gives your family direction during a difficult time and reduces the chance of disputes among heirs.
Revocable Trusts
A revocable trust lets you control your assets while you're alive and pass them on efficiently afterward. Because trust assets typically avoid probate, your family can access what they need faster and with less expense.
Gun Trusts
A gun trust holds legal title to your NFA firearms instead of you owning them individually, letting named co-trustees legally possess and use them. It simplifies ATF approval and ensures a smoother transfer to your beneficiaries down the road.
Powers of Attorney
A power of attorney authorizes someone you trust to manage your finances if you're unable to. This keeps bills paid and accounts managed without court involvement, giving your family one less crisis to navigate.
Medicaid Planning
Long-term care is expensive, and Medicaid can help cover it, but only if your assets are structured correctly in advance. Thoughtful Medicaid planning protects your resources while positioning you to qualify for the benefits you may need.
Living Wills
A living will spells out the medical treatment you do or don't want if you can't speak for yourself. It gives your family clear guidance and spares them from having to guess what you would have wanted.
Answering Commonly Asked Estate Planning Questions
HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED A TRUST OR JUST A WILL?
A will alone works for many simple estates, but a trust adds privacy and can help your family avoid probate altogether. We can walk through your assets and family situation to recommend the right combination for you.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DIE WITHOUT AN ESTATE PLAN IN CONNECTICUT?
Without a will or trust, Connecticut’s intestacy laws decide who inherits your assets and who may raise your minor children. The outcome may not reflect your actual wishes, and the process is often slower and more public for your family.
CAN I CHANGE MY ESTATE PLAN AFTER IT'S SIGNED?
Yes. Wills and revocable trusts can be updated as your life changes; a new child, a marriage, a move, or a change in assets are all good reasons to review your plan. We recommend revisiting your documents every few years.
DO I STILL NEED A POWER OF ATTORNEY IF I HAVE A TRUST?
Yes. A trust only covers assets titled in its name, while a power of attorney lets someone act on your behalf for finances the trust doesn’t hold, including day-to-day matters like paying bills or managing insurance.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUT AN ESTATE PLAN IN PLACE?
Most straightforward plans can be drafted and signed within a few weeks of your initial consultation. More complex plans involving trusts or Medicaid planning may take a bit longer to structure correctly.
WHY FAMILIES TRUST US WITH THEIR PLANNING
Estate planning only works if it’s built around your actual life, not a generic checklist. We start every engagement with a real conversation about your family, your assets, and what matters most to you, then build a plan around those answers, not the other way around.
From your first consultation through signing, you’ll always know what’s happening and why. We explain each document in plain language, keep you informed at every step, and revisit your plan as your life changes, so it keeps working for you long after the paperwork is signed.
LET'S GET YOUR PLAN IN PLACE
Putting off estate planning doesn’t make the decisions go away, it just leaves them to Connecticut law and a probate court instead of you. A short conversation with Meghan Smith is all it takes to find out where you stand and what you actually need.