Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Probate,
Powers of Attorney, Living Wills
Estate Planning/Wills/Trusts -
Its all about the
planning. By law your property will go to your next of
kin even without a will. If you have a spouse and/or
children then generally shares will go to each as
provided by statute. However, a probate proceeding is
required unless you plan out what will happen in the
event of your demise. Trusts are used to avoid probate
and the costs associated with it. Wills are used to
control the distribution of assets in a probate
proceeding especially when you want something different
than state law or plan to exclude someone.
Probate - Probate is a legal
proceeding used to pay or adjudicate just debts of the
deceased, identify and account for all property of the
deceased, and eventually pass good title to property to
the next owner. Probate can be expensive but is
sometimes necessary to clear up ownership.
Guardianship/Conservatorship
-
These probate proceedings are used to help the living
but incapacitated manage their affairs. That may be a
Minor Child who receives money in a lawsuit to someone
who is or becomes mentally incompetent for whatever
reason that causes the disability. Guardianships are
about the physical relationships, who watches over the
person. Conservatorships are about the financial affairs
of the person.
Powers of Attorney/Living Wills
- There may come a time when you cannot make decisions
for yourself or you need to give someone else control.
During those times it helps to have someone designated
to assist you in your financial matters or health care
decisions. Sometimes you need someone designated to care
for your minor children. We can help you select the
appropriate Power of Attorney for your needs. |