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A probate lawyer can help people create a will or establish trusts to protect their inheritance assets in case of death. It is important to select a probate law attorney who listens to your needs and provides sound advice for developing strategies which benefit designated beneficiaries. Recently, a colleague hired an estate planning lawyer to assist with her terminally-ill mother's estate. Although her mother was not wealthy, she had a home and an automobile. She also owned financial portfolios as well as life insurance policies. Bay Area Legal Service
Her mother's credit association referred her for the estate attorney. Considerable family strife existed within the family and her mother wanted to disinherit one of her sons. The estate planner executed a simple will and provided strategies to prevent assets from passing through probate. The woman's daughter couldn't afford to consult with several probate law firms due to her illness. Instead, she had her daughter work with an asset protection lawyer who didn't have any knowledge of her mother or family dynamics. She also did not know how she wanted to distribute her inheritance assets. Because of budget cuts, the credit card union closed their estate plan division. The daughter was not informed of this and only discovered she no longer had a lawyer for probate after her mother passed away. This caused chaos in the life of the daughter designated to be probate executor.
It was worse that the estate administrator lived in another part of the country. She was forced to locate a new probate litigation attorney just days before returning home. The man didn't seem to be interested in her mother's assets and couldn't offer advice on how to preserve her mother's Will. She was well-versed with estate planning and had taken steps in order to secure asset protection. Because the mother had left behind a small amount of her estate, the Administrator was capable of avoiding probate and settling the mother's estate within just a few months. It's clear that estate planning shouldn't be left until a person is in grave danger. Trusts and estates that are made during the last weeks or days of a person's lives can cause many problems. estate planning san francisco
This is essential when executing a final will and testament or distributing assets between dysfunctional family members. When probate estate planning is conducted in the final stages of life, disinherited heirs can contest the will by claiming the decedent was not of sound mine or under the influence of another's persuasion. When Wills are contested, estates can be suspended in probate for months or years and potentially bankrupt the estate. It is best to start planning for your estate and trust while you are still healthy. The estate planning probate lawyer will ensure your final wishes are followed when you pass away. It also eliminates stress from the appointed probate personal representative.