Columbia, MS Estate Planning Lawyer

Columbia, MS Estate Planning Attorney

Not many people want to spend time reflecting on their mortality and making plans for what happens after their death. However, having an estate plan is critical to ensuring that your property gets where you want it to go.

Many people try to create a will or trust on their own, but this method may lead to you doing something improper and causing a dispute for your family later. Speaking with a Columbia, MS estate planning lawyer can help you craft an estate plan that holds up to scrutiny and keeps your family out of a tense battle in probate court.

Berry Law Firm Can Handle Your Estate Planning

Berry Law Firm has experience handling estate planning for families in Marion County as well as the surrounding areas like Walthall and Forrest Counties. Founder Leigh Berry has been working in law for over 30 years, and she brings the kind of service that you’d expect from a big-city attorney to our rural community in Mississippi.

What Is Estate Planning, and How Can a Columbia, MS Estate Planning Attorney Help?

Estate planning covers many different topics but, generally, it includes all matters related to someone preparing for the end of life or an incapacitating injury. Estate planning allows someone to put their wishes into writing so someone else can execute them when the time comes.

Wills

The first thing most people think of concerning estate planning is wills. Truthfully, a will is one of the most important documents that you can craft. Any adult should have one ready, as you never know when an accident or debilitating illness may make it a necessity.

Wills allow the writer to distribute any assets they have to family and friends in the manner that they see fit. Your will should also outline who the executor of the estate will be, how your descendants should pay off any debts or bills you may have, and who should be the guardian of your children, if applicable.

Many people attempt to write a will without legal assistance. While you can craft these documents without an attorney present, you open yourself up to a variety of legal issues later. Judges can strike down an improper will and leave your family in a messy battle for control over the estate.

An attorney can walk you through the process and ensure that you have a legally binding document that is clearly written and error-free.

Trusts

Trusts are another method to pass money or other assets on to another person. Trusts give the grantor more protection from state inheritance taxes but are harder to modify than a will. Changing a will is a simple process of rewriting a section, while altering a trust is much more involved and complicated. You should speak with a Marion County estate planning attorney to determine if you should use trusts in your estate plan.

Trusts allow you to name beneficiaries while you’re alive. The beneficiary will eventually receive whatever asset you place in the trust when you die.

Estate Disputes

When someone dies without setting up a will or trust, or the deceased did not properly complete the documents, the estate ends up in dispute. Any parties who believe that they have a claim to part or all of the estate will likely try to fight for it in probate court.

A Columbia, MS estate planning attorney can help you avoid estate disputes with proper estate planning. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you need an advocate during an estate dispute in probate court, your attorney can also make sure that the judge hears your side of the argument. Your attorney could be the difference between receiving your inheritance and being left with nothing.

Powers of Attorney

Your estate planning attorney can help you set up who will have power of attorney for you if you’re incapacitated. You can set up a temporary power of attorney if you will be out of the country momentarily and need someone to sign a check. However, estate planning attorneys can also assist with setting up a long-term power of attorney in case you can no longer look after your estate on your own.

Healthcare Directives

Many of us will find ourselves in the hospital toward the end of our lives. We all have a preference for what kind of medical care we do and don’t want to receive. If you are incapacitated and can’t make your wishes known, the doctor may prescribe a treatment that you aren’t comfortable with.

Setting up health care directives in case you cannot advocate for yourself is crucial to protecting your autonomy and making sure that you have the final say at the end of your life. These directives can be simple or specify what hospital and doctor you want to provide your end-of-life care.

How Much Does Estate Planning Cost in Marion County, Mississippi?

The price for an estate plan in Columbia, MS will vary depending on how comprehensive it is and what documents you want to include. For instance, an estate plan with numerous trusts will cost more than asking an attorney for help with a simple will.

In general, you should expect to pay between $1,000 and $4,000 for an estate plan in Mississippi. Scheduling a consultation with a Marion County estate planning attorney can give you a rough estimate of what the cost will be.

Is a Columbia Estate Planning Attorney Necessary?

Estate planning attorneys are like life jackets when you’re out fishing on a boat. They give you a sense of safety and the knowledge that, no matter what happens, you will be covered. Your estate planning attorney can help you decide on what parts of the estate to leave to whom, itemize your assets, and check any documents to make sure that they hold up in probate court.

Berry Law Firm: Marion County Estate Planning You Can Trust

Estate planning is confusing and often not a fun thing to consider. A Columbia, Mississippi, estate planning attorney can walk you through the process and make things easier. Berry Law Firm can help you prepare for the end of your life with empathy and experience. Contact us today to begin the process and discuss what your estate plan will look like.