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Secure Your Legacy With The Help Of A Knowledgeable Estate Planning And Probate Attorney

After you pass away, your family will be responsible for distributing your assets to your heirs. That’s difficult to do if they don’t know your wishes or instructions, which is one reason why estate planning is so important. If you’ve been putting off planning your estate, it may be because you aren’t entirely sure what your wishes are or which legal tools you’ll need to achieve them.

That’s not a problem when you contact Mary C. Hartill, PLLC, Attorney at Law. Ms. Hartill offers estate planning services to help you prepare for the future and protect the people you care about most. She will take the time to get to know you and understand your needs and goals, then she will guide you through the process and help you create an estate plan that is customized, thorough, clear and legally sound.

Why Should You Draft A Will?

A typical estate plan includes things like a will, one or more trusts, power of attorney designations and an advance directive. Drafting a will is one of the most fundamental components of estate planning.

By drafting a thorough and well-written will, you can:

  • Make sure your wishes are known.
  • Ensure your assets are distributed evenly
  • Ease the burden on your family after you pass

Because of the importance of the will and other estate planning documents, it is unwise do this work on your own with free forms found online. There are simply too many opportunities for error and ambiguity. Instead, contact Ms. Hartill to help you create documents that clearly and accurately reflect your final wishes.

What To Know About Trusts

Trusts are powerful and highly customizable legal tools that give you considerable control over how, when and to whom your assets are distributed. They can fulfill very specific purposes like financing care for a child who is disabled, or they can be used to facilitate your larger estate planning goals.

While there are many types of trusts, each will be classified as either revocable or irrevocable. A revocable trust can help you preserve assets, avoid probate and perhaps reduce your overall estate tax burden. An irrevocable trust can achieve the same goals and can also help you qualify for Medicaid, which is often critical to paying for nursing home care.

When you contact the firm, Ms. Hartill will help you determine if a trust is right for you, and if so, which kind of trust would be most appropriate. She will also guide you through the process of creating and funding the trust, choosing successor trustees and handling any other administrative duties.

Probate And Estate Administration Services

If you’ve recently lost someone you love and now must assume responsibility for settling the estate, Mary C. Hartill, PLLC, Attorney at Law, is here to help. The probate and administration processes can be time-consuming and tricky even under ideal circumstances. If any problems arise – such as dealing with creditors or an heir who is unhappy with the will or trust – things can get complicated very quickly.

Ms. Hartill has the experience and knowledge to guide you through these processes and help you address any challenges that come up, including:

  • Contested wills
  • Contested probate administration
  • 1404 hearings (part of the process of challenging a will)
  • Lost will proceedings

It is important to remember that disputes, delays and other problems cost money to fix, and the money must usually be paid out of estate assets. Hiring an attorney to prevent or quickly resolve problems ultimately saves money, maximizing the estate assets that can be passed to heirs and beneficiaries.

Talk To An Attorney About Your Estate Law Needs For Free

If you’re ready to plan your estate or need assistance with an estate-related matter, an attorney should be your next phone call. Contact Mary C. Hartill, PLLC, Attorney at Law, in Riverhead or Port Jefferson, New York, to schedule a free initial consultation. Just call 631-987-5833 or reach out online.