Estate Planning & Probate

Many people don’t realize how complicated dying has become. It is no longer just a matter of shuffling off this mortal coil—especially if you have assets, family, and friends. Logistically, a typical death in the United States involves aging, care taking, medical treatment, death, and then the post-death tasks of a funeral, transfer of assets, payment of liabilities, execution of a will, payment of death benefits, and management of the distribution of property. 

A good estate plan provides instructions for post-death administrative tasks.

A great estate plan will address all those logistical and administrative items for a person and his or her family—allowing the individual to spend their remaining time doing what they love, and allowing their family and friends to celebrate and grieve their loved one after they’ve gone. 

While Trusts can be a wonderful option for a number of people, they are not for everyone, and sometimes it makes more sense for a person to have a Will instead of a Trust. Typically Wills need to be evaluated by the court before they are executed, and this process is called Probate. 

Probate requires patience and diligence generally, and attention to detail to ensure that the proper process is chosen. Not all probates are the same because not all estates are the same. 

Quality development of Wills and other estate planning instruments requires knowledge and experience with the probate process, so missteps and pitfalls can be foreseen and addressed before they are signed, witnessed, and notarized. 

Graham Martin loves explaining the processes and options to clients new to these matters. Please set up a consultation if you have questions.

• Estate planning needs assessment
• Wills (with or without contingent beneficiary trusts)
• Revocable trusts
• Irrevocable trusts
• Powers of attorney
• Healthcare directives

• Bedside service
• Court appearances
• Estate litigation
• Asset transfers
• Probates (including ancillary proceedings)