Phoenix Estate Planning Attorney for Your Nontraditional Family

The traditional American family is changing — or, in fact, it may never have been quite as standard or uniform as some believed. Vast numbers of Arizona families include stepchildren, children brought into them through international adoptions, and extended family members.

Same-sex couples, unmarried domestic partners, siblings living together, and families with grandparents serving as primary caregivers may also be considered nontraditional families. These situations certainly call for sound estate planning that takes relevant Arizona laws and specific needs and wishes into account.

Helping Adoptive Parents, Same-Sex Couples and Others Plan for the Future

I am Brian S. Starr, a dedicated Phoenix-Scottsdale area estate planning lawyer who welcomes all types of families and individuals in all phases of life. I recognize that “traditional” married couples now account for only about half of households with estate planning needs — and that proper estate planning for non-traditional families is becoming a serious matter for estate holders and probate courts.

Extensive Knowledge of Probate, Trusts, Asset Passing and Business Succession

I offer a full range of quality estate planning services for families with adopted children and other nontraditional families, anticipating and handling issues involving:

• Trust distribution to step-children
• Business succession planning to include extended family members
• Asset preservation for distribution to non-adopted stepchildren
• Assets passing to same-sex partners
• Assets passing outside of probate, such as life insurance benefits

Services Tailored to Medical Professionals, Executives, and Business Owners

I work with many professionals such as doctors, dentists, other attorneys, and owners of various businesses to ensure that their adopted children, step-children, and other nontraditional family members are accounted for in their estate plans. I place a specific focus on business succession planning and development of trusts for complex distribution of assets in ways that include all intended beneficiaries.

When we meet for a consultation to discuss your specific estate planning needs, I can help you understand how the law applies to issues such as inheritance taxes and asset distribution for unmarried partners and step-children. We can then work together effectively and efficiently toward peace of mind for you and the financial protection of your loved ones.