Allison Kierman Estate Planning

Phoenix Estate Planning Attorney

Top Rated Estate Planning Attorney in Phoenix

As a trusted Phoenix estate planning attorney, Allison Kierman helps individuals and families create comprehensive estate plans designed to protect their assets and secure their family’s future. As a dedicated estate planning lawyer and trust attorney in Phoenix, she provides a wide range of services, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and advanced estate planning strategies focused on asset protection and probate avoidance.

Every estate plan at Kierman Law is tailored to the client’s specific needs. Whether you are a young family looking to establish guardianship for your children or a high-net-worth individual seeking advanced trust planning, working with a skilled Phoenix wills and trusts attorney ensures your plan is thorough, legally sound, and aligned with your goals.

Without proper estate planning in Phoenix, your estate may be subject to lengthy probate proceedings, unnecessary taxes, and potential disputes among family members. Your loved ones may face financial burdens and uncertainty during an already difficult time. A comprehensive estate plan helps avoid these challenges by clearly outlining your wishes and protecting your assets.

As an experienced Phoenix probate attorney and estate planning lawyer, Allison Kierman helps clients create plans that minimize risk, maximize protection, and provide clarity for future generations. Kierman Law is committed to helping Phoenix families plan ahead with confidence and peace of mind.

Phoenix Estate Planning Services

Asset Protection

Asset protection planning is an important step in the estate planning process, regardless of age, health, and wealth.

Business Planning

We help families protect their businesses and make generational transfers to ensure the continuity and lifespan of the family business.

Financial Directives in
Times of Emergency

A Financial Power of Attorney (FPA) allows you to select a person to be responsible for managing your estate if you become mentally incapacitated.

Medical Directives in
Times of Emergency

It is important to be proactive and select a medical agent and set up your advance healthcare directive should you or a loved one fall ill.

Prenuptial Agreement

Finalizing a prenuptial agreement is a significant step towards protecting your financial future and ensuring peace of mind for both you and your spouse

Temporary Guardianship of a Minor

If your children will be in the care of someone else, you should assign Temporary Guardianship.

Temporary Guardianship of Pets

If you intend to be out of town without your loved pets, you should assign Temporary Guardianship

Protecting Your Assets and Ensuring Your Legacy

Latest Updates

The $32 Million Dinosaur That Sparked a Family Legal Battle
July 23, 2026

The $32 Million Dinosaur That Sparked a Family Legal Battle

A Dinosaur Worth $32 Million, and a Family Battle Behind It. When most people think about fossils, they imagine history buried beneath the ground. But the story of Stan, a …

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Keep Your Vacation Home in the Family for Generations
July 22, 2026

Keep Your Vacation Home in the Family for Generations

Your vacation home can become more than a memory, it can become a legacy. One of my clients is thoughtfully planning for her home to remain a special place where …

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Don’t Let Your Points Die With You
July 21, 2026

Don’t Let Your Points Die With You

Have you ever stopped to think about what happens to your credit card points and airline miles when you’re no longer here? People spend years building up rewards for flights, …

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Allison's Client Testimonials

Affiliations and Awards

Phoenix Estate Planning FAQs

A will is a document where you name a personal representative or executor. Wills name the person who collects all of your accounts and property, pays your outstanding debts, and distributes your money and property to those you have named, specify who will receive your accounts and property, and name a guardian for any minor children.

A living will, also known as an advance directive, is your lesson plan for communicating your specific wishes regarding end-of-life decisions. Carefully considering your desires regarding life-prolonging procedures and clearly communicating them to your chosen medical decision-maker is imperative

A revocable living trust (RLT) is a trust you create during your lifetime. You can change this trust at any time until you become incapacitated (unable to make your own decisions) or die. An irrevocable trust is a type of trust that cannot be modified or revoked once it is created. This means that once assets are placed into the trust, they are no longer considered the property of the grantor and cannot be taken back

A revocable living trust is a great foundational tool to save time and money and maintain your and your loved ones’ privacy after you become incapacitated or die. However, because you, as trustmaker, would typically serve as the initial trustee and have the power to change or revoke the trust, there is little that can be done to shelter the trust’s accounts and property from your personal creditors. The trust is merely an extension of you.

If you are concerned about protecting your accounts and property from your creditors or lawsuits, there are other types of trusts that can be used. These trusts would typically have someone else act as trustee and restrict the amount of authority you have to manage the trust’s accounts and property. In some cases, the trust may even restrict your ability to benefit from the trust’s property. Protecting your accounts and property usually requires that you give up control, so you must think carefully before implementing this type of strategy. It is also important to note that if you know that you will be a party to a lawsuit or have a creditor trying to collect a debt, it is too late to move money and property into a trust. Asset protection tools need to be put in place before any troubles occur, or else you could be guilty of making a fraudulent transfer in an attempt to defraud creditors.

Yes, you can include pets in your estate plan. It’s important to determine who will care for your pets and to decide if you need to set aside funds to care for your pets as well.

Selecting a caregiver for your children in case you are unable to do so is a tough decision. While no one can match your love for your kids, it is important for you to choose their guardian rather than leaving it up to a judge. If you do not designate a guardian, the judge will decide based on state law and the guardian’s courtroom demeanor, lacking the personal knowledge you possess about the potential guardian.

When picking a guardian and alternate guardians, think about if they share your beliefs regarding religion, do they have experience raising children, can they handle the financial and time commitments, do they have the physical health and stamina to take on this responsibility, and if your children will have to move to a different state.

An ethical will is a document that explains why you have made estate plans the way you have. It is not a legally binding document, it is not used in probate court, nor does it divide your assets the way you want. It is mearly an expression of your wishes and your intentions.

After you have finished your estate plans you need to keep the original ink signed document, especially if you are going to have to probate the will. For trusts or powers of attorney, you can function with an executed copy.

Look for a Phoenix estate planning attorney with experience in wills, trusts, and probate avoidance. Reading reviews, checking credentials, and choosing someone who understands Arizona estate law can help you make the right decision.

If you pass away without a will in Phoenix, Arizona intestacy laws determine how your assets are distributed. This can lead to outcomes that may not align with your wishes and may create complications for your family.

A will directs how your assets are distributed after death and goes through probate, while a trust can help avoid probate and provide more control over how and when assets are distributed.

The cost varies depending on the complexity of your plan. Simple wills are typically less expensive, while comprehensive trust-based estate plans involve more detailed legal work.

Contact a Phoenix Estate Planning Attorney

Contact us today to schedule a consultation with Phoenix estate planning attorney Allison Kierman to help you secure your family’s future.

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