Briefly, a trust agreement is created when a grantor (you) sign a declaration of trust. The protection the trust creates (for one thing it avoids probate) takes effect the minute you sign it and you are able to amend (change) or revoke (cancel) the trust at any time. Your trust will be the centerpiece of your estate plan and will determine who inherits your assets and in what manner your estate will be distributed to your beneficiaries. A trust amendment overrides portions of your original trust but does not invalidate it.
Unlike a trust which takes effect the minute you sign it, a last will doesn't take effect until you die. Even though each package includes a will, if you purchase a living trust package, your will supports your trust. If you order a will package without a trust, your will is the centerpiece of your estate plan. A will is subject to probate (a court proceeding to determine the validity of a will) and is more susceptible to a legal challenge because you won't be alive to defend the will if challenged. Please visit our learning center for a more detailed definition.
The advance directives included in all our packages - for both partners - are a Living Will which provides you with the opportunity to spell out your wishes about what treatment - if any - you will receive at the end of your life, a Medical Power of Attorney - with a hospital visitation clause - that lets you name your partner to make your medical decisions when you are not able - and a Durable Power of Attorney for Finances (DPOA) that permits you to name your partner to manage your finances while you are incapacitated.
An abbreviated version of your trust that is used for the purpose of funding your trust.
This document (the abbreviation stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) allows your medical power of attorney to have access to your medical records.
Allows your partner to have the primary right - above everyone else - to visit you in the hospital
These are not legal documents. We include them in your package so you can give detailed instructions regarding your medical treatment and final wishes. The hope is that this document will help to eliminate arguments between your partner and family about what it is you wanted when you are not able to speak for yourself.
Regardless of which package you order, you'll get instructions for dealing with your first drafts, if you order a trust, you'll also get instructions funding your trust, instructions for your successor trustee and executor and instructions for finalizing your documents (signing, storing, copying, distributing and so on).
These are templates of letters for you to send to financial institutions, insurance companies, pension plan administrators and so on so that you can transfer your assets into your trust.
For your convenience, your package will include a revocation of your DPOA, a resignation of your agent and an acceptance as trust of your trust. These documents are included for your convenience but do not get signed until they are needed.
An agreement between partners - similar to a prenuptial agreement - where you and your partner set forth the terms of your living together arrangements, like, how you will share income and expenses while you are together and how you will divide jointly owned and separate property if you break-up.
This document lets you appoint your partner or someone else as guardian of your minor children in the event you are unable to raise them yourself
Allows you to appoint your partner (or someone else) to consent to medical treatment of your child, to make decisions about your child's schooling, religious attendance, to travel with your child and so on.
An agreement between you and your partner where you agree to raise your child or children together as equal parents even in the event of a break-up. This document is designed to protect a co-parent who would otherwise have no legal right to custody or visitation
This document will only be included in your package if you need it. It is an agreement between the recipient and sperm donor. It sets forth the terms of the agreement - for example, whether the donor's name will or won't be listed on the birth certificate,whether he will waive his parental rights, etc. The exact terms will depend on your circumstances.
Change happens! And when it does, you need to make sure your legal documents reflect your new circumstances. If you purchased a will or trust package from Rainbow Law, it’s easy to update your documents.
Our update package is $75 for a single person and $150 for a couple. This package of documents is designed to:
1Ensure your legal documents continue to empower, protect and extend rights to your loved ones – even after a significant life change.
2In case of a death or break-up, an update package lets you name new agents to make your medical and financial decisions and new beneficiaries to inherit your property.
3Make it easy for you to get new documents when your state legislature makes revisions to the laws in your state.
An update document package includes:
A new last will and testament, a trust amendment (if the original package included a trust), advance directives (living will, medical power of attorney and durable power of attorney for finances), supporting documents, letters of intent and instructions – for one person or two partners.
Order a trust update package Order a will update package
Why preassembled packages?
We know from our many years of experience what legal documents are required to create certain legal rights and protections for LGBT individuals, couples and families. We also understand every person’s circumstances are unique and the laws affecting gay and lesbian relationships vary from state-to-state.
Therefore, we’ve put together 6 basic legal document packages – specific to your state’s laws – designed to broadly fit a variety of circumstances and family types.
When you fill out a questionnaire form to order a specific package from Rainbow Law, we use your personal information to tailor your documents so they function to protect and empower you, your family and other loved ones. In the end, the final package you receive will be custom-made for you.
Because every person’s situation is unique, we designed our questionnaire so that it gathers more detailed information about your particular circumstances. We use the information you provide to us to fine-tune each of your documents so they fully function to protect and empower you and your loved ones.
If you need a document that is not generally included in our package and it pertains to creating legal rights or protections for your loved ones, we’ll make that document for you as well.
Hover your cursor over a document title below to learn what it is:
If you are ready to order, click on a button below to fill out the questionnaire form that matches the package you need:
If you need more information about our packages, click here.
Don’t forget to tell your friends that Rainbow Law makes free & affordable wills, deeds, trusts, advance directives, agreements and other legal documents designed to protect the rights and relationships of LGBT couples, parents and single people! Oh yes, and we also make ‘em for straight individuals and families too!
If you appreciate our service and want us to continue to provide this vital service to our community, please make a donation to our free document service!
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