People Over Paperwork
Estate planning isn’t a one-time task or a stack of paperwork. It’s a thoughtful process of deciding how you want to care for the people you love—both now and in the future—when life takes an unexpected turn.
A strong estate plan anticipates change. As your family, relationships, and priorities evolve, your plan should evolve with them. That means revisiting decisions, updating strategies, and making sure the people you trust are empowered to step in when needed.
When estate planning is done well, it creates clarity during difficult moments. It helps ensure that your wishes are understood, your family is supported, and important decisions don’t fall to chance or default rules that may not reflect your values.
We approach estate planning as an ongoing strategy—not just a legal exercise. By aligning your assets, decision-making authority, and long-term intentions, we help you create a plan that provides continuity, protection, and peace of mind for the people who matter most.
Here’s Where 3FG Law Comes In
3FG Law exists to help you care for the people and responsibilities that matter most—now and in the future. Led by Joanna Amberger, an estate planning attorney and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, our work is grounded in thoughtful planning, clear communication, and a deep respect for the life you’re building.
We help you make intentional decisions about who can act on your behalf, how your assets are managed, and how your wishes are carried out—so your family has clarity and support when it matters most. Rather than focusing on one-time documents, we take a practical, relationship-based approach that’s designed to adapt as your life evolves.
Our Client Care Program keeps your plan connected to your real life, with regular check-ins, secure access to important information, and ongoing support for you and your family. When your priorities shift, we’re here to help you adjust—so your plan continues to reflect who you are and what matters to you.
With the right guidance and a plan that stays current, you can live your life with confidence, knowing that the people you love are protected and supported.
Estate Planning Services
Wills
A will provides clear instructions for how your assets should be distributed at your death and allows you to name guardians for minor children. It ensures your wishes are formally recognized and reduces uncertainty for your loved ones.
However, a will only takes effect after death and must go through probate—a public legal process that can take time and require court involvement. For many families, a will works best as part of a broader estate plan rather than as a standalone solution.
For blended families, LGBTQ+ couples, or families whose relationships may not follow default legal assumptions, a will can be especially important in clearly expressing your intentions and naming the people you trust.
Advance Healthcare Directive
An Advance Healthcare Directive allows you to document your medical wishes in advance and appoint someone you trust to make healthcare decisions if you are unable to communicate.
This document ensures that the person you choose—not just the person the law defaults to—has authority to speak with doctors and make decisions about your care. For unmarried partners, LGBTQ+ couples, or nontraditional families, this protection can be especially critical, as legal recognition is not always automatic.
Having a directive in place provides clarity during emotionally difficult moments and prevents confusion about who has authority to act.
Power of Attorney
A financial power of attorney allows you to appoint someone you trust to manage financial matters on your behalf if you’re unable to do so yourself. This can include paying bills, managing investments, handling real estate transactions, filing taxes, or communicating with financial institutions.
Even if you are married, you do not automatically have the legal authority to act for your spouse without a properly executed power of attorney. For unmarried partners, LGBTQ+ couples, blended families, or chosen family relationships, this document is especially important—because the law may not automatically recognize the person you would want making decisions.
A well-drafted power of attorney provides clarity and continuity during periods of illness, travel, incapacity, or unexpected emergencies—ensuring that important financial decisions can be handled without delay or disruption. Without one, your loved ones may have to go through a court process to gain authority to manage your affairs.
Revocable Living Trusts
A revocable living trust is a planning tool that allows your assets to be managed according to your wishes during incapacity and transferred efficiently at death.
Unlike a will, a properly funded trust can help avoid probate and provide privacy, continuity, and streamlined administration for your family. It also allows you to name a successor trustee who can step in to manage assets if you’re unable to do so yourself.
For families with complex relationships, blended households, or long-term partners who may not be automatically recognized under default laws, a trust can provide structure and clarity that a will alone may not accomplish.
Special Needs Trusts
A special needs trust is designed to provide financial support for a loved one with a disability while preserving eligibility for important government benefits such as Medicaid.
This type of trust allows funds to be used for supplemental needs—such as education, therapies, housing enhancements, or quality-of-life expenses—without unintentionally disqualifying the beneficiary from essential assistance.
It offers long-term protection and structure, ensuring that support continues in a thoughtful and sustainable way.
Legal Protection for Non-Biological Parents
For families where one parent is not biologically related to a child, legal planning is essential. The law does not always automatically recognize parental rights in these situations.
Through thoughtful estate planning, you can clearly designate guardians, document your intentions, and strengthen legal protections to help ensure your child remains in the care of the people you trust.
For LGBTQ+ families, blended families, and chosen family structures, this type of planning can be especially important in preventing uncertainty during already difficult times.
Beneficiary Designations
Certain assets—such as life insurance policies and some financial accounts—transfer by beneficiary designation rather than through a will.
Because these designations operate independently from your estate planning documents, it’s important that they are reviewed and aligned with your overall plan. An outdated beneficiary form can override the intentions expressed elsewhere.
Part of comprehensive estate planning includes ensuring these designations are current and coordinated so your wishes are carried out as intended.
What Makes 3FG Different
Ongoing Support & Updates
An effective estate plan is one that works in the future—often at moments when you’re no longer able to clarify your wishes or make changes. That’s why estate planning isn’t just about creating documents; it’s about building a plan that can stand on its own when it matters most.
At 3FG Law, we plan with that reality in mind. As your life, relationships, and responsibilities evolve—and as laws change—we focus on whether your overall strategy still reflects your intentions and functions as designed. Our reviews look at the plan as a whole, not just whether documents are technically up to date.
Every estate plan includes six months of complimentary support, during which we provide guidance, answer questions, and help ensure your plan is positioned to work as intended in the future. Through our ongoing services, we continue to review and refine the strategy behind the documents, so your wishes are clear, and your family is supported when you can no longer speak for yourself.