The Right Lawyer in Columbia, MD, to Help You Avoid Probate
When someone passes away without an established will or with a will that’s open to legal challenge, the loved ones left behind often have to fight through complex court proceedings to hash out exactly who is entitled to which assets. That’s what makes thorough estate planning vital – it protects your family from an emotionally devastating and often-costly dispute over your estate. At our offices, you can get advice from an insightful lawyer in Columbia, MD, on how to avoid potential issues with your will.
Trust a Howard County attorney who understands how important your family’s future is. We give you the advice and resources necessary to plan for your eventual passing and provide peace of mind for the people you care about most.
The process of taking a will through probate costs your estate both a great deal of time and money. During the time spent waiting for the court to rule on your will, your heirs could already have been in possession of the property. Instead, your property and legacy are now tied up in a lengthy and expensive court process. You may be seeking answers on how to avoid this probate process.
The Law Offices of Dwight W. Clark, LLC, would be glad to discuss your estate planning options with you. If you are looking for someone to explain how to avoid probate and plan your estate accordingly, contact us to meet with an estate attorney in Maryland.
Helping You With Strategies To Save Time And Money
There are several types of instruments that can help your estate avoid probate. While not all of these documents may apply to you, we can help you decide which ones will work best for you and your estate planning needs.
- Joint ownership is one form of possession to help you avoid probate. The name for this dual possession of property is joint tenancy with a right of survivorship. When one owner dies, the property passes from the owner who dies to the other owner without going through the probate process.
- If you create a revocable living trust, this is also a way to pass along assets without the probate court’s approval. This document allows you to appoint somebody to distribute your assets and maintain control over them following your death.
- A transfer on death or payable on death account allows you to pass along particular types of assets to your heirs without probate court approval. These documents may include items such as your stocks or bank account funds.
- Life Insurance allows the transfer of wealth without probate.
Some of these documents may also help your estate avoid federal estate taxes. However, you should receive assistance from an experienced attorney when drafting these documents to ensure that they are valid and that they comply with all the necessary legal rules and regulations surrounding estate planning.
We Can Help Secure Your Estate
The lawyers at the Law Offices of Dwight W. Clark, LLC understand the steps you need to take to make your estate secure. We also work to do succession planning for families that have a family business partnership. For more information on how to avoid probate, contact us.