WILLS, ESTATE PLANNING, AND PROBATE

Let us be completely honest with each other. There will never be a time when it will be pleasant to think about one’s own death. Because it is not pleasant, most of us are reluctant to do so, and, for far too many of us, the reluctance to think about our own death makes it difficult for us to make plans. But, as much as we want to avoid even thinking about the topic, one of the best ways to deal with death is to be prepared and have a plan for what happens to your property after your death.

It is important to keep in mind that, in the absence of a plan, state law will determine how your property (which you have worked so hard to accumulate and protect) is distributed. State law operates on the presumptions that you want all of your heirs at law to share in your estate and that you want all your heirs at law treated the same. However, the reality of your particular circumstances may be that you want one of your heirs to inherit all of your property, to have a larger share, or to inherit under conditions that will protect that heir’s inheritance.

You know your family members; you know their habits, their idiosyncrasies, their needs, their strengths, and their weaknesses. You are fully aware of the reasons why the distributions mandated by state law would not be in keeping with your wishes or beneficial for your family members. Therefore, you are the one who should make the decisions as to how your property will be distributed among your family members.

At Jenkins and Roberts LLC, we know how important your family members and these decisions are to you. Call us at 404-522-6386 and schedule a time to come in and talk with us. We will work with you to develop an estate plan that meets your unique circumstances. Or, if a loved one has died and you have the responsibility, even in the face of opposition and disagreement, of implementing his or her plan, we can help you do so.