If you want everything to go smoothly when you die, carefully consider your planning options. Some people make inheritance planning decisions that they know will not sit well with some of their family members or other interested parties. These people are often opening themselves up to the possibility of a contested estate.
First off you may want to ask yourself if the potential for acrimonious legal battles is really worth the statement you are thinking about making. Depending on your circumstances you may be in a position to leave behind instructions that are largely consistent with your true wishes without ruffling feathers so much that legal actions may be initiated that stall everything indefinitely.
If a less contentious option simply won’t do, you must be very clear about your intentions when you are drawing up your estate planning documents. Cases like the Anna Nicole Smith/E. Pierce Marshall imbroglio and the contested estate of the legendary singer James Brown give you an idea of how tangled things can become.
Sometimes it is simply a matter of updating your estate plan to reflect current circumstances. And at other times you simply cannot avoid making some choices that some individuals won’t like. Either way, the best way to proceed is to engage an experienced Florence, KY estate planning lawyer who will help make sure that you’re wishes are followed.
John’s practice focuses on the use of Wills and Living Trusts in Estate Planning to help individuals protect their families and preserve their legacies after their deaths, but his practice also focuses on the critical issues of protecting individuals with dementia or other diminished capacity, assisting individuals in qualifying for Medicaid and other government benefits to offset the costs of long-term care, and providing special needs planning.
John is admitted to practice law in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio, and he is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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