Estate attorneys in Buffalo Grove work diligently to complete all manner of legal tasks upon the death of a person. If the deceased had property, land, money or other assets it is the job of the attorney to administer the estate correctly.
Many people who own large assets tend to sensibly make a will, leaving portions of their estate to friends and family by designating certain properties to them in the said will. Unfortunately not everyone has time to make a will or think they need a will. In those instances, the person may pass away before a will can be written, leaving their estate ‘intestate’. In the event of an ‘intestate’ situation, the beneficiaries can still inherit the estate of the decedent in a process that allocates equal portions to each heir.
Why Make a Will?
It is always advisable to make some kind of will, even if your assets may only be small. You may not own property, land or a great deal of money, but your personal effects and jewelry can still be allocated to chosen members of your family or friends. This is a more surefire way of making sure that those you want to benefit after your passing away do so. You may have a precious engagement or wedding ring that you want to pass to someone special, or perhaps a treasured antique that must go to a certain person. Without a will there is no guarantee that person will get that item, even if they say you promised it to them.
Having a will helps you to pass beloved items to selected people without them having to go through the probate process. Although probate itself is a general term for dealing with estates of deceased people, the will provides a backup to avoid the ‘intestate’ situation and safeguards your wishes after you pass away. Even having a will can sometimes cause trauma and resentment amongst surviving family members. A certain item that was especially coveted by one person may have been left to another and this can cause arguments and, in some cases, a contesting of the will. Money can usually be the culprit at the center of many contests, too. Greedy relatives who want a slice of the financial cake can contest a will to fight for a larger chunk.
Writing will and keeping it updated can also save trouble later. Say you remarry and have another family. You may want to make sure your new family is included as well as your original family. You might have two homes or assets that need to be divided differently and you should keep your will updated to account for those changes. This too can prevent arguments over who gets what when you are no longer around.
Looking for estate attorneys in Buffalo Grove? Give Charles C Newland a call for expert probate help and advice.
