Tulsa Estate Planning Attorney, Welsh & McGough, PLLC

A thoughtful estate plan is one of the most important gifts you can give your family. It controls how your assets are distributed, who makes decisions for you if you become incapacitated, who cares for your minor children if something happens to you and your spouse, and how much of your estate is consumed by taxes, court costs, and unnecessary delay. A poorly drafted plan, or no plan at all, leaves these questions to Oklahoma intestacy law and the probate court, with results that rarely reflect what the deceased actually would have wanted.

Welsh & McGough, PLLC has built Oklahoma estate plans for Tulsa families since 1994. Our estate planning practice spans every level of complexity, from straightforward wills for young families just starting out to sophisticated trust structures for clients with substantial assets, family businesses, blended families, or beneficiaries with special needs. We listen carefully to what you want for your family, explain the tools Oklahoma law makes available, and design a plan that does exactly what you intend.

Estate planning is not a one-time event. Lives change, families change, tax law changes, and the plan that fit you ten years ago may not fit you today. Welsh & McGough reviews and updates estate plans on a regular cadence with our clients, and we are here to make adjustments when major life events, marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a beneficiary, a significant change in assets, or a move into or out of Oklahoma, require an update to keep your plan working.

Our Tulsa estate planning attorneys also work in close coordination with our probate, guardianship, and elder law practices. That integration matters: an estate plan that looks correct in isolation can still create problems at the probate stage, expose assets to Medicaid recovery, or invite a guardianship dispute. We design plans with the next stage in mind, so the documents you sign today actually deliver the protection you and your family expect tomorrow.

Wills. Every adult should have a will. A properly drafted Oklahoma will names your personal representative, distributes your assets, and, for parents of minor children, nominates the guardian who will care for your children if something happens to you and the other parent. Welsh & McGough drafts simple wills, pour-over wills designed to work with a trust, and complex testamentary plans for blended families and clients with substantial assets.

Revocable Living Trusts. A funded revocable living trust can keep your estate out of Oklahoma probate, preserve privacy, simplify administration after death, and provide continuity in the event of incapacity. We draft revocable trusts that match your goals and we walk you through the funding process so the trust actually owns the assets it is meant to control.

Irrevocable and Specialty Trusts. When your goals include asset protection, Medicaid planning, special needs planning, charitable giving, or long-term family wealth preservation, we draft irrevocable trusts that fit those goals under current Oklahoma and federal law.

Powers of Attorney. A durable power of attorney lets the person you choose handle your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. Without one, your family typically has to seek a court-appointed guardianship, which is slower, costlier, and more invasive than a power of attorney prepared in advance.

Advance Directives. Oklahoma law allows you to control medical decisions through an advance directive that covers end-of-life care, life support, artificial nutrition, and pain management. We draft advance directives that reflect your wishes and pair with a healthcare power of attorney so a trusted person can speak for you when you cannot speak for yourself.

Beneficiary Designations and Transfer-on-Death. Many assets, including retirement accounts, life insurance, and certain bank and brokerage accounts, pass by beneficiary designation rather than by will. Oklahoma also offers transfer-on-death deeds for real estate. Welsh & McGough reviews these designations as part of every plan and helps clients use the right combination of tools.

Plans for Minor Children. Parents of minor children need a plan that names a guardian, controls how inherited assets are managed, and provides for ongoing care. We help young families build plans that are practical, affordable, and built to grow with their family.

Special Needs Planning. Families with a beneficiary who has a disability need a plan that protects eligibility for needs-based government benefits. We draft special needs trusts and coordinate them with the rest of the estate plan.