Estate Planning Lawyer in Avon MA
What is estate planning?
Estate planning is the process of arranging the transfer of assets to heirs or beneficiaries in anticipation of one’s death. An estate plan’s goal is to preserve as much of wealth as possible. Attorney Gemma is an estate planning lawyer in Avon MA and concentrates on probate law, trust administration, wills and more.
An estate plan is a plan of action for what happens to your assets after your death or in the event of incapacitation. A will determines where your assets go after your death, who the legal guardian of your minor children will be and more.
Probate is the procedure in which a will is validated by the Probate Court, which happens after the person’s death.
What Is Probate?
It is a legal process that determines the validity and authenticity of a will. It also refers to the general administration of a person's will or the estate of a deceased person who hasn’t left a will. After the person dies, the court will appoint an executor determined by the will or an administrator in cases when there is no will, to handle the process of probate. This involves collecting the deceased's assets and paying any outstanding fees, liabilities or debts and then distributing the assets to heirs and beneficiaries.
How Probate Works
Probate analyses and transfers estate assets to new owners. When a person dies, their assets and property are reviewed by a probate court, which then provides the final ruling on the division and distribution of assets to beneficiaries. A probate proceeding will typically begin with validating the deceased person’s will and determining if it is up to legal standards.
In many cases, the deceased person has put together paperwork with instructions on how their assets should be distributed after their death or who is designated to become a legal guardian to minor children if any. In some cases, however, the deceased does not leave a will, then the court will appoint guardians and beneficiaries, as well as a trustee of the estate.
Consult an Estate Planning Lawyer in Avon:
If you need an estate planning and probate lawyer in Avon MA, contact me at Gemma Law. I provide personal attention to all clients – when you retain me, you’ll be working with me directly on all aspects of your matter. I maintain a caseload that allows full attention to all clients, and to answer your questions at your convenience.
My practice is focused on helping individuals with the probate of estates and related litigation (such as will contests), estate and trust planning, and conservatorship and guardianship matters. Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation. 781-380-8183.