As your family and your estate grow, so should your estate plan. Over the course of your life, you will likely add a number of additional goals and objectives to your overall plan. One of the most popular additions to the average estate plan is probate avoidance. To help you decide if probate avoidance tools and strategies should be added to your plan, the probate attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC explain the most common reasons for avoiding … [Read more...]

At some point in your life, there is a very good chance that you will be directly involved in the probate of an estate. Whether you were appointed to oversee the process or as a beneficiary/heir of the estate, knowledge of the probate process and the applicable laws will be critical. Even if you manage to avoid being involved in the probate of someone else’s estate, knowledge of probate law remains important because it will directly impact your own estate after you are gone. As such, you need at … [Read more...]

Few people manage to make it through their entire lifetime without the need to become involved in the probate of an estate. Whether you find yourself named as the Executor of an estate, or you seem to be elected by unspoken consent to volunteer as the Personal Representative of an estate, you could end up overseeing the probate of an estate. You might also simply learn that you are the beneficiary of an estate or even a creditor. Even if you manage to avoid becoming involved in the probate of … [Read more...]

When done properly, the art of estate planning should accomplish much more than just providing the framework for the distribution of your estate assets after your death. Which additional estate planning goals you choose to include in your comprehensive estate plan will depend on your own unique needs and goals. One popular estate planning goal, however, is probate avoidance. If you are unfamiliar with the probate process, it helps to first learn how what happens during the probate of an estate … [Read more...]

The death of a loved one is usually followed by a period of grief and other heightened emotions.  Along with the emotional impact of the decedent’s death, however, there are also some practical and legal ramifications. The biggest of those is the distribution of the decedent’s estate. If you are a beneficiary or heir of the estate, you probably have a number of questions about your inheritance; however, you may feel it is disrespectful to ask or you may be unsure who to ask. Because we … [Read more...]

The death of a family member or someone else close to you is usually followed by a period of grief, confusion, and a variety of other heightened emotions. Someone, however, must handle the legal and practical implications of your loved one’s death. If you have been designated as that person, you probably do not know where to begin or exactly what needs to be done unless you have been in the same position in the past. To help you get started, a Kirkwood probate lawyer explains some common steps … [Read more...]

The loss of a family member or loved one is typically followed by a period of mourning and grief. The last thing you usually want to think about during this time period are the practical and legal ramifications of your loved one’s death. The problem, however, is that it is during this time that a decedent’s Last Will and Testament is submitted for probate. It is also during this time that any challenges to the Will are typically submitted to the court. What happens if probate has concluded and … [Read more...]

Throughout the course of your lifetime you will likely need the assistance of an attorney more than once. When you do find yourself in need of legal advice or assistance, it is important to consult with the right type of attorney because not all attorney handle the same type of legal issues. Just as you would not consult with a pediatrician if you had cancer, you don’t want to consult with an attorney who specializes in criminal law for a divorce. In order to know which type of attorney you … [Read more...]

Whether you realize it or not, there is a very good chance that you will need the services of a probate attorney at some point during your lifetime. Of course, in order to know when you need to hire a probate attorney you first need to know what kind of legal matters probate law firms handle. While every law firm is unique, and decides independently what type of legal matter sit will handle, most probate law firms handle the same basic types of legal matters. What Is Probate? To begin with, it … [Read more...]

There is a very good chance that at some point in your life you will need to retain the services of a probate attorney. Of course, in order to know when you need a probate attorney, you need to have a clear understanding of what a probate does. What type of legal matters does a probate attorney handle and how do you know when it’s time to consult with one? Understanding Attorney Practice Areas A common misconception is that attorneys, like doctors, choose an area of specialty within the law … [Read more...]