Minnesota Probate Attorney

Wills and Estate Planning: Protecting Your Assets

Creating a will or trust is an efficient, legally-binding way to make sure that the things you worked your entire life to attain are passed on to the heirs you choose, while avoiding unnecessary taxation issues and legal problems for those that you love. When it comes time to take stock in what you've achieved and create a means of responsibly passing your legacy on to those you care about, responsible, creative and insightful legal assistance is more than a luxury, it's a necessity.

A Minnesota family lawyer from Heimerl & Lammers, has a wealth of experience in planning, creating and managing estates and probate, two of the primary ways people use to plan for the disbursement of assets at the time of their death, and manage those assets after they've died. Our in-depth knowledge of the law governing wills and estate planning in Minnesota will allow us to help you create a responsible after-death plan, one that encompasses your personal tastes and financial situation. It is an honor to take part in making sure that your words are heard and respected at the time of your death, and we welcome the opportunity to help.

Estate Plans - A Tool to Ensure Your Personal and Financial Wishes

During your lifetime, everything that is accumulated will become part of your estate at the time of your death. How your estate is distributed to family and loved ones is determined by your estate plan.

An estate plan creates a legal way of transferring your property after your death, giving respect to your wishes and the particular needs of those you leave behind. For many people it also involves creating a plan which will take care of essential obligations and affairs in case of disability and critical personal medical choices which sometimes must be made as one gets older. Estate planning is not merely for the prosperous. Rather, it is a necessity for anyone who wishes to be taken care of in old age and ensure that living loved ones are cared for far into the future. Ensuring that the person you choose can make decisions regarding your medical care and treatment can be an extremely important matter with regard to your actual wishes. In cases of incapacitation, you want to have confidence that your wishes are carried out by the individual you know will respect them.

The laws governing estate planning are varied and complex. Securing responsible, professional legal assistance right now can save your heirs a lot of headaches later on. If you feel that it's time to take a serious look at what the rest of your life will encompass, and what you'd like to leave to the ones you love, we are prepared to evaluate your personal situation and to discuss your options in planning your estate.

Probate Lawyer in Minnesota

Estate creation is just part of the overall process. Once an individual passes away, their estate must go through what is known as the probate process to distribute their assets and pay off their debts. Probate can be formal or informal, depending on how complex the issues are. There is usually some court involvement in the process.

If a person died leaving a will, their specific intentions will be carried out. Without a will, the property will pass to family members in a way defined by Minnesota statutes. In both situations, the court will approve an individual to serve as the Personal Representative of the estate. This individual works closely with the attorney and the court to make sure that the estate is distributed in an appropriate manner and that assets are not squandered in the process.

If someone you love has recently passed away, or you have questions about the probate process, contact a Minnesota probate and estate planning attorney at our firm for a free consultation.