Estate Planning After a Death in the Family
After a death in the family, few of us want to think about legal issues or our own estate planning processes. Most of us need time to grieve and to grapple with the loss we are experiencing, whether it was a likely or unexpected death. Even when someone has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, their death can still be a shock. As soon as you are ready, however, you should think carefully about your own estate plan with a lawyer’s help. Whether you do not yet have an estate plan or you have one that needs to be revisited, you should sit down with a Norcross estate planning lawyer to determine what steps you should take.
Creating an Estate Plan
If you do not yet have an estate plan, your loved one’s death will likely illuminate the importance of having one. If your loved one has died intestate, you have likely begun to realize just how complicated the probate process can be, and how your loved one’s assets will not be distributed according to their wishes but rather to distribution plans determined by state law. And if your loved one did have an estate plan, it will likely be a signal to you that you need to make one, too.
You can begin working almost immediately on your estate planning needs with an attorney in Gwinnett County, including wills and trusts, powers of attorney, and your Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care.
Revising an Existing Estate Plan
When a loved one dies, if you already have an estate plan, it is important to review your estate plan to determine if your deceased loved one was named in your estate plan in any way.
For example, was your deceased loved one as a named beneficiary in your will or revocable living trust? Or was your loved one named as an agent in a durable financial power of attorney or in your Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care? Or, for instance, was your deceased loved one a designated beneficiary on a bank account payable-on-death designation? If so, you will need to revise your estate plan, and your lawyer can help with this process.
Contact a Gwinnett County Estate Planning Lawyer for Assistance Creating or Revising Your Estate Plan After a Loved One’s Death
A death in the family can be difficult to come to terms with, whether the family member had been ill for sometime or the death was unexpected. While thinking about your estate plan may not be the first order of business after a loved one dies, it is critical to revisit your estate plan after a death in the family, especially if that person played a role in your estate plan. An experienced Gwinnett County estate planning attorney at Bowman Law Firm can answer any questions you have today and can begin working with you today on any estate plan components that need to be created or revised in the aftermath of a loved one’s death. Contact our firm for assistance and to learn more about the services we provide to clients in Georgia.
Source:
law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-53/
