- Last Will and Testament
- Living Will/Healthcare Proxy
- Probate of the Estate
- Power of Attorney
Probate is the legal proceeding in which a court determines how an estate will be divided. The court will follow your Last Will and Testament in distributing your property, unless it is contested by your heirs.
Some people think having a Will avoids probate. This is not the case. A Will is used in probate to determine who receives what property, who is appointed guardian to any minor children and who will be responsible for carrying out the wishes contained in the Will.
At our office we make getting your Last Will a simple process. First we send you a questionnaire, which you fill out on your own time. Next we will take your questionnaire and turn it into a “draft Will”. At this point you will come into the office and finalize the Last Will with either of our attorneys.
Having a Living Will is also very important. This is also called a healthcare proxy, and can determine your fate when you are not able to. If you are in a coma or mentally unable to make life altering decisions your Living Will comes into play. It lays out who is eligible to make these tough decisions based on your wishes.