Experienced Covington Estate Planning Attorney

Protecting your family’s future starts with a plan that is built specifically for Louisiana’s unique laws. As an experienced Covington estate planning attorney, Charlton Ogden provides the expert guidance necessary to secure your assets, care for your loved ones, and ensure your final wishes are honored. From drafting your first Last Will and Testament to creating complex Revocable Living Trusts, our firm helps residents in Covington, Mandeville, and the Greater Northshore area find peace of mind.

Essential Estate Planning Documents for Louisiana Residents

Last Will and Testament: Ensure your property is distributed according to your wishes, not the state’s default intestacy laws.
Revocable Living Trusts: A powerful tool to avoid the public succession process at the 22nd JDC.
Power of Attorney (General & Medical): Choose someone you trust to handle your financial and healthcare decisions if you become incapacitated.
Living Wills: Provide clear instructions regarding end-of-life medical care, removing the burden of these difficult decisions from your loved ones.

Living Trusts vs. Wills: Which is Right for Your Family?

One of the most common questions we hear as a Covington estate planning attorney is whether a client should choose a Last Will and Testament or a Revocable Living Trust. Both are effective tools, but they serve very different purposes under Louisiana law.

The Last Will and Testament

A Will is the foundation of most estate plans. It allows you to designate who will inherit your property and name a tutor for minor children. However, a Will does not avoid succession. When you pass away with only a Will, your family must still file a petition at the 22nd Judicial District Court to have the Will validated and the property transferred.

The Revocable Living Trust

A Living Trust is a more robust estate planning tool. Its primary advantage is that it allows your assets to pass to your heirs without going through a court-supervised succession. By placing your home and accounts into a trust, you maintain full control during your lifetime, but upon your death, your successor trustee can distribute assets privately.

Why Covington Residents Choose Trusts:

Privacy: Successions are public record; Trusts are private.
Speed: Assets can often be distributed in weeks rather than months.
Cost: While a Trust costs more to set up initially, it often saves your family thousands in court costs and legal fees at the St. Tammany Clerk of Court later.

As your Covington estate planning attorney, Charlton Ogden will review your assets and family goals to help you determine if the simplicity of a Will or the probate-avoidance of a Trust is the better fit for your legacy.

Why You Need a Local Covington Estate Planning Attorney

“Louisiana’s Civil Code is unique. Concepts like Forced Heirship and Usufruct do not exist in other states. Using a ‘one-size-fits-all’ online form can lead to major legal headaches for your heirs at the Covington courthouse later. By working with a local Covington estate planning attorney, you ensure that your documents are fully compliant with Louisiana law and specifically tailored to your family’s needs.”

Effective estate planning is the first step in a larger strategy that includes Covington Succession & Estate Planning. We help you look at the big picture to minimize taxes and court costs.