Tennessee Estate Law Blog
Having entered the New Year you may have created a list of resolutions that you hope to accomplish sometime during 2015. Some may be looking to exercise more, eat healthier, or even save some more money. Although it may not be one of the first things that you think of in setting your resolutions, estate planning is a goal that can be easily accomplished without spending too much money or time. If you have questions about your estate plan, contact the Nashville estate planning attorneys at The Higgins Firm.
So you may be wondering what exactly an estate plan is. In its most basic form, an estate plan is a set of legal documents that explicitly set forth your decision on a number of issues. One of the fundamental estate planning documents is a last will and testament. Most people think of a last will and testament, more commonly known as a will, as designating where you want your assets to go upon your death. However, a will can also do so much more. A will can also nominate someone to handle the administrative affairs of an individual after he or she has died. This individual is known as the executor of the estate. A will can similarly nominate someone to serve as the guardian of any minor children in the event of a death. Courts often look to a will to determine if the deceased parent had a preference for choosing a guardian.
Another important estate planning document is a power of attorney. This document allocates authority to another individual to act on your behalf. You as the grantor of the power are able to specify in what circumstances the agent is able to act on your behalf. Some may choose to grant a wide range of powers to the agent while others may choose to grant only very specific powers to their agent. Similarly, some may choose to have the document only become effective upon the incapacity of the grantor while other choose to have the document and its powers become effective upon the signing of the document. There are two different types of power of attorney documents. One is a power of attorney for finances which can include the ability to conduct business, write checks, contract, etc. The other is a power of attorney for health care which enables the agent to make health care decisions for a person who may not be able to make decisions regarding his or her own health. A power of attorney can be a useful tool in the event that you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself.
There are a number of other estate planning documents that can be very helpful like an advance care directive. An advance care directive is a document designating what type of care you may want in an end of life situation. A living will is a type of advance care directive. Often these documents can ensure that your decisions and desires are met as opposed to leaving such a hard decision up to a loved one.
If you would like assistance in drafting your estate plan, contact The Higgins Firm. Our Nashville based estate planning lawyers would be happy to help advise you as to what documents may fit your needs.