Probate Legal Services

We help you plan your estate or just prepare your Last Will from economical simple wills to much more detailed wills depending upon your desire or needs.

We seek to determine the best probate procedure for your circumstances when a loved one has died. We then work with you, to the extent you need to collect debts, identify heirs and to distribute the assets of the estate.

Our involvement may be brief or extensive based upon your desires and your budget. Sometimes people figure buying a will kit is all they need to prepare their Last Will. Sometimes the kit ends up costing them more on court costs, legal advertising and legal fees to correct the damage resulting from a ‘do-it-yourself’ will.

Occasionally, a Will may have been or may need to be challenged or the manner in which an estate is handled may cause questions. We are experienced in these matters and can help you with the issues of concern to you.

Some lawyers encourage the creation of trusts for estate planning. While a trust can be helpful where appropriate, a trust can be expensive. The establishment of a trust requires additional effort and expense on a routine basis to keep it operational. Many people find the additional ‘red tape’ is not worth the effort, while others forget to keep obligations current.That being said, certain types of trusts can provide benefits that a will may not allow such as: 1)Better protection of your assets from creditors and lawsuits 2)Reduction in estate and gift taxes and 3)A trust does not have to be published but in most cases a will is filed with the probate court which is a matter of public record.

While a properly prepared Power of Attorney may be all you need, we can also help you to determine where guardianships may become necessary for an incapacitated adult or for a child. Allow us to assist you in determining what best works for you.