ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE
We handle all issues relating to Estate Planning, including Wills, Trusts, POA and Living Wills. We also handle Guardianships and Adoptions, and all other issues in the Probate Court.
According to recent estimates, over 50% of all persons who have died in the past 10 years have died without any form of estate planning. Estate planning is a way for you to set out the manner in which you want your property to be distributed after your death. We suggest that all persons have three documents – at a minimum – for Estate Planning. First, a Last Will and Testament allows you to have control over what happens to your assets when you die; this avoids the State deciding how they are distributed. Second, a Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney allow you to make your intentions known for your long-term care should you enter a vegetative or comatose state, or if you lose your mental ability to make medical decisions. Third, we recommend a Power of Attorney, which allows the person selected to be able to carry on your financial duties should you become unable to do so. Along with these, we can provide counsel for the following:
- Wills, Living Will, Powers of Attorney
- Trusts (Revocable, Irrevocable, Testamentary, Special Needs)
- Joint Ownership / Rights of Survivorship
- Automatic Transfers
We also handle all other issues in the Probate Court, including all of the following:
- Guardianships
- Conservatorships
- Adoptions (Including stepparent adoptions, Private 3rd Party Adoptions, DHR Adoptions,
and Interstate Adoptions) - Civil Commitments
- Name Changes
