Estate Planning and Probate

The attorneys at Evans & Mullinix, P.A. work with our clients to develop an individualized estate plan that meets each client’s needs. We review your financial circumstances and your wishes for disposition of your assets at the time of death and help develop a strategy to achieve those objectives, to avoid estate taxes and probate and to facilitate the timely transfer of assets.
We provide these services in a timely and cost-effective manner. Our experienced staff understands your needs so we typically are able to complete a client’s estate plan within a reasonable period of time and we schedule a follow-up appointment at the time of the first meeting. Our services include the following:

– Basic Estate Planning: For many clients a basic estate plan can include a will, basic trust, financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney, advance directive, living will and beneficiary deeds.

– Trusts: A revocable living trust is often recommended for more complex situations or for tax savings to utilize the federal estate tax exemption. Our attorneys prepare the trust documents, assist with the proper funding of the trust and provide instructions for transferring assets to the trust.

– Post-Death Administration: We regularly advise successor trustees with trust administration and distribution of the trust assets after death.

– Probate Estate/Non-Probate Estate: We handle the legal requirements when probate is necessary to settle a loved one’s estate. In fact, in some situations it may be possible to avoid probate. We regularly advise beneficiaries and heirs concerning their rights after a death and how to proceed in the most effective manner.

– Guardianship-Conservatorship: When a guardian or conservator must be appointed to manage the affairs of a minor child or disabled adult, our attorneys work closely with the guardian or conservator regarding the legal issues.