FOUR PEAKS PLANNING INC. is dedicated to providing quality and affordable last will & testament and revocable living trust estate plans to Arizona families.
Our four cornerstones of estate planning are:
We offer comprehensive revocable living trust estate planning packages for $750.00 and comprehensive last will & testament package starting at $250.00. Discounts are available for teachers, firefighters and military veterans. View complete descriptions of estate planning packages.
Common Estate Planning Goals
Guardians for Children. Without a Will appointing guardians, children will be awarded to the state of Arizona, who will name their guardians. A last will & testament is essential for parents wanting input on their children's guardians.
A trust can help separate the responsibilities of guardians and those managing the children's money.
Controlling Distributions. Young beneficiaries may make ill-advised decisions when receiving lump sums of money from life insurance or proceeds from the sale of a house.
A living trust can hold money until a predetermined age or make partial distributions as beneficiaries reach certain ages.
Early distributions for reasonable education, health, maintenance and support requests can be approved by the Successor Trustees you appoint.
Example: A beneficiary could receive a early partial distribution for the downpayment on a home if the active Successor Trustee(s) feels the trust's creators would approve the early distribution should the beneficiary show fiscal responsibility.
Maintaining a home for dependents. A trust can continue paying your mortgage, tax and utility costs until your children finish school, at which point they and their guardians vacate the home and the home is sold.
For blended families, if the deceased spouse owned the primary residence, a trust may allow the surviving spouse to continue living in the home before being distributed to the deceased owner's heirs.
Special Needs Provisions. Those receiving disibility income may have issues if they receive an inheritance. Inheritances for such a person can legally be held in a trust until needed to prevent a disruption of disability income.
Avoiding Probate. Some assets already avoid probate: life insurance, retirement accounts and other assets listing living beneficiaries. In Arizona $75,000 of real estate or $50,000 of other assets combined can trigger probate. Actual costs associated with probate courts are relatively inexpensive. But the process, according to studies in Arizona, can delay transfer of the estate by 6 to 18 months. In addition, costs can increase quickly if legal help is needed or the estate is contested.
No Contest Clauses. Contested last will & testaments can freeze an estate, unlike living trusts containing No Contest Clauses which revoke inheritances from people contesting your estate.
Minimizing Taxes. Unless your estate is over the estate tax limit (currently $5 Million for an individual, $10 Million for a married couple though this may change in 2013), your estate will likely have no estate taxes due. Most Arizona resident's tax issues will be limited to having a final tax return prepared. Living trusts do not affect your affect income taxes.
Providing for Pets. Pet food and vet visits can be costly. A trust can set aside a sum of $5,000 - $10,000 to reimburse the person who is kindly taken care of your pets. Any amounts left after your pets have passed can be returned to the estate or given to a charity.
Charitable Donations. Help a favorite cause. When you include a favorite charity as a primary beneficiary, Four Peaks Planning, Inc. will match your percentage amount in dollars.
What Is A Revocable Living Trust?
"Revocable" means the creators of the trust can change or amend language at any time. "Living" means the trust was set up during a person's lifetime.
A living trust can be pictured as a box.
After the trust is signed, you may transfer legal title of assets from your name to your trust's name.
By naming yourself as Trustor and Trustee of the trust, you alone will control the trust. A spouse or life partner can be named as a Co-Trustor or Co-Trustee.
The trust can continue holding assets and carrying out tasks long after you have gone.
Successor Trustees, pre-appointed by you, manage and distribute assets according to the trust's instructions.
Once all tasks are completed and assets distributed, the trust comes to an end.
What Revocable Living Trusts Don't Do
Living trusts do not take away your control of assets. By naming yourself Trustor and Trustee, you maintain control.
While you are living, your living trust does not protect your assets from lawsuits. Talk to legal or tax advisors about options, such as placing rental properties or businesses into LLC's or corporations. Talk to your insurance advisor about an appropriate umbrella policy.
They do not prevent Medicaid spend down. Talk to an insurance or financial advisor about Long Term Care policies to protect your assets. Some coverage is often better than no coverage when full coverage eppears expensive.
Free Planning Guides
Start on your own at your pace. The Estate Director tool below has over 40 forty pages of useful worksheets for you and guides for those involved in your estate. Learn more.
Download Estate Director.
About Us
Four Peaks Planning, Inc. is certified by the Arizona Supreme Court as a Certified Legal Document Preparer (#81353). We have over ten years of experience in estate planning, specifically assisting with the preparation of revocable living trusts.
We take great pride in educating our clients on various estate planning options. We start by offering an informative website and a free download to help you prepare yourself with knowledge and informed questions for an estate planner.
At the initial appointment, we take the time to review a sample living trust, last will & testament and various power of attorney documents to help you visualize various ways to tailor your estate plan.
By reviewing a sample trust, our clients are prepared and have a greater understanding at the second appointment when reviewing their documents before signing.
Schedule Your Appointment
Because many of our clients are working families we offer evening and weekend appointments in addition to daytime appointments. Our office location is in Ahwatukee but we in-home appointments across Arizona for your convenience.
If you have questions or would like to schedule an consultation, contact us below or call (480) 229-6220
Phone: (480) 229-6220
Office Address:
4001 E. Mountain Sky Ave Ste 202
Phoenix, AZ 85044
In-home Consultations
Difficulty finding time to meet? Ask for an in-home meeting. Evenings and weekends available.
Found us on the web?
Four Peaks Planning, Inc.,assists clients of numerous local financial and insurance advisors. Feel free to contact any of these advisors about our estate planning services.
Reference - Read more
I am a State Farm agent. I have many customers that have a long over due need to put their estate in order. Estate Planning, including a living trust, is NOT just for the more affluent. Most of my customers have average incomes and certainly need to complete their estate plan.
To date I have directed all of my clients to Jamie Kahn of Four Peaks Planning. He is professional and keeps the entire process simple.
If you are wondering if you need an Estate plan... you do! Contact Jamie to find out how easy your plans can be put into action.
Roger Morsch Insurance Advisor Chandler, AZ (480) 855-4632 - Daytime www.EastValleyIns.com
Reference - Read more
Jamie and I have worked together for a number of years as he has helped my clients with their Estate Planning. I find Jamie to be very professional, patient, and positive. He delivers face-to-face service and cares about his clients and their individual needs.
I have worked with several Estate Planners and one thing that sets Jamie apart from everyone is his dedication to education and follow-up. When he completes a trust it is truly complete and he has ensured his clients have covered all the details to keep their estates secure. Jamie and Four Peaks Planning adds real value to my business. Thank-you, Jamie, for running an ethical, personal, and professional business.
Christine Lobdell Raney Financial Advisor Chandler, AZ (480) 802-0741 - Daytime
Success is a journey, not a destination. Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it is too late.
- Robert R. Updegraff
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS
Mar '11 - Debate ensues over who will provide oversight of probate court conduct.
Dec '10 - The estate tax changes for 2011 and 2012 will affect families with estates over $5,000,000.
Sept/Oct '10 - Maricopa County's probate courts have come under investigation for allowing the savings of vulnerable adults to become engines of profit for attorneys, for-profit fiduciaries and care providers. Read more.
A living trust can be pictured as a box.
After the trust is signed, you may transfer legal title of assets from your name to your trust's name.
By naming yourself as 
