Why do you need an estate attorney and what do they do for you? Well, to answer that question, you need an estate attorney to handle your affairs after you pass away. Not everyone has riches beyond their wildest dreams, like three homes, land, money and antiques. Some people’s estate are modest, with a little jewelry, some extra cash saved and maybe a small home. Whatever you own, it needs to be allocated to someone after you pass away.
The job of estate attorneys in Gurnee, for instance, is to abide by all the local estate laws of the state of Illinois. Effectively they become executors of the last will and testament of their deceased client. They must ensure that the last wishes of their client are carried out to the letter of the will and all items and effects laid out in the will must be allocated to all the named people in the said will.
Do You Need a Will?
There is no set reason why any should make a will, but it is always advisable, in order to protect your assets. Unless you have no family that you wish to leave your effects to, a will can help you by allocating your chosen effects to various members of your family. If you want to leave particular items to specific people it is worth making a will in order that those wishes are carried out upon your passing away. The will also makes clear why you are leaving certain things to certain people and is your last testament to leave behind as a legacy.
Wills can also become areas of contention between feuding relatives or disputes over the contents of the will. It has been known for some relatives to claim that the decedent was coerced or unduly influenced to change their will in favor of one person against another. In cases that have these complexities an attorney can litigate and help to solve any disputes legally and professionally.
In cases where the decedent left no will, the attorney must then declare them ‘intestate’, which means their assets, if any, will usually be divided equally among any surviving members of the family. Immediate heirs can be a spouse, off spring, parents followed by other less immediate relatives. If you haven’t already made a will, at least write down what you consider to be assets and make a list. You may find that you have more than you thought and it is worth making a will to protect your estate after you pass away. Your attorney will also make sure any last bills and taxes are paid before administering the rest of the will to its heirs and recipients.
Looking for estate attorneys in Gurnee? Give Charles T Newland a call for expert probate help and advice.
