Estate Law Fort Saskatchewan

Estate law is a specialized area of the law that can help you make sure all your assets are divided in accordance with your wishes and that important benefits like insurance benefits are provided to those who need them most. In addition, the estate lawyer will work with you on wills, trusts, inheritance planning, advance directives for health care, and other legal issues relating to death or disability. In this blog post, I will discuss why you should have an estate lawyer-including benefits offered by an estate lawyer-and when it would be necessary to consult one.

How an Estate Lawyer Can Help You

An estate lawyer can help you with the process of determining how to divide your assets amongst family members, such as ensuring benefits like insurance benefits are provided to those who need them most. Many people complete a will or trust so that they have a plan for what should happen to their property after death or disability. An estate lawyer will work with you on wills, trusts, inheritance planning, and other legal issues relating to death or disability.

The first step is coming up with an initial idea about what kind of agreement would be best for dividing your property according to the wishes you want to be carried out. Which options are available? What do you need in order to make this decision? Who all does it affect? There are many questions, but there's a solution: an estate lawyer. An estate law Fort Saskatchewan expert can advise you on the different benefits of various agreements and provide guidance in making decisions about your will or trust that are tailored to your unique needs. 

When You Would Need an Estate Lawyer

An attorney's services may be needed, for example, if there is a complex situation such as jointly held assets with rights of survivorship or multiple potential heirs who all need benefits provided by the deceased person's employer benefits plan. They can also help you decide what type of agreement would work best depending on whether it's necessary to avoid state taxes when transferring property at death (for instance, real property located in another state).

In some cases, people might have questions about how they should take care of their health before death to carry out their wishes. An estate lawyer can help individuals make decisions about advance directives for health care, such as a living will or advanced power of attorney, to ensure their wishes are followed and benefits provided accordingly.

In some situations, people might need an estate lawyer because they're facing financial difficulties due to the death or disability of a close family member. They may be unsure how long benefits from life insurance policies last in these cases. There are other benefits that could be lost without an estate lawyer too, such as: 

• Social security survivors benefit payable upon the insured's death.
• Benefits under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pension program available exclusively to spouses who were not entitled to military retirement pay at the time of spouse's death.
• Workers' compensation benefits that are paid automatically when an injured worker dies without a will or other evidence of wishes. 

In these cases, an estate lawyer can advise on benefits and strategies that provide the most advantages to surviving spouses.

Lastly, if a person has been charged with theft, fraud, larceny by false pretenses, embezzlement, misapplication of funds from their employer/former employer in connection with his or her job duties, or money laundering or conspiracy to commit any such crimes involving property valued at more than $500k), they may need an attorney. This type of crime could result in fines up to three times the value stolen plus jail time ranging from five years all the way up to life imprisonment. It's important for individuals facing charges like these not only to have counsel but also to consult with an estate lawyer.

Other Services Offered by an Estate Lawyer

Except for the above services offered by your estate law Fort Saskatchewan expert, you can also expect to have the below handled by your estate lawyer as well.

• High net-worth estate planning
• Antenuptial agreements
• Trust and estate matters
• Wills
• Family law planning
• Selling of estates
• Special needs beneficiaries
• Litigation for Estates
• Guardianship matters
• Tax fee management
• Obtainment of receipts for an individual's delivered inheritance
• Managing the registration of assets in the name of the chosen executor
• Applications at estate courts
• Probate administration

Why You Should Rather Have an Estate Lawyer Handle Your will

An estate lawyer will help you navigate the legal and financial aspects of what will happen to your property after death. For example, an attorney will know how much time will be needed for probate proceedings in your state, as well as whether or not it is necessary that you create a living trust. They will also have experience with the particular laws where you live, making them more qualified than family members who may only follow their own personal interpretations of law.

A common misconception about wills is that they will automatically be carried out after death. In fact, the process will vary depending on your state and often there are taxes involved with executing a will. This can create difficulties for beneficiaries who are not expecting to pay taxes or understand what will happen if their loved one dies without a will in place.

Another reason why people should hire an estate lawyer instead of just writing wills themselves is because it isn't always straightforward about how much time will need to go by before probate proceedings have concluded when someone dies without leaving a will behind. Some states even require certain waiting periods before your property becomes available to you as intended heirs (e.g., six months in New York).

The entire reason a person creates a will is to ensure their family is taken care of should anything happen. Take that though one step further and hire your estate law Fort Saskatchewan expert today to be there for them when you no longer are, and make sure your wishes are carried out accordingly.