What We’ve Learned About Probate the Past 5 Years

August marks our 5 year anniversary and we’re celebrating in a unique way. We’re dedicating a blog series to various kinds of law that our law center at the Lake of the Ozarks practices in. This week, we’re featuring some of the things we have learned and that we think you may like to know about the probate process.


Probate is not as scary as it sounds. 

The majority of people think of probate and assume the worst. It doesn’t have to be as bad as many are led to believe. It does take time and money to work through the process but a professional attorney on your side can help make it much less intimidating and more efficient.

Preparing your estate plan can help prevent probate, but not always. 

Many people don’t realize that a will is not enough to keep your estate out of probate. Taking the additional steps of assigning a non-probate transfer (such as a payable-on-death or transfer-on-death designation) to each asset takes a little extra time and effort, but can go a long way in getting your assets to your loved ones quickly and avoiding probate.

Patience is key during the probate process. 

The probate process is time consuming, and can take months and even years to complete.  Sometimes estate assets must be sold during the process, which can result in extending the length of time before the estate assets can be distributed and the matter closed.


Someone may be appointed as Personal Representative to take charge of your estate. 

If there is no estate plan in place, the court, rather than you, will be the one that decides who the Personal Representative in charge of your estate will be.  A properly executed will gives you the opportunity to identify this person, and to name alternatives if this person is unavailable when the time comes.

If you’re faced with navigating the probate process, it is important to have an estate planning attorney in Camden County, MO on your side. Here at O’Donnell Law Center, we help many families and individuals work through the process together. We work hard to ensure you feel like you have someone on your side as you go through the necessary steps of probate.



We Carry Your Burden ~ You Carry On With Life.

Disclaimer: No attorney-client relationship is created by the publication of this blog.

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertising.

Phone: (573) 552-0317

O'Donnell Law Center, LLC
1026 Palisades Blvd. Suite 3
Osage Beach, MO  65065
Location: Osage Beach, MO 65065, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Top 5 Ways to Make Divorce Easier on your Children

Image
Divorce is a tough time for everyone involved – especially kids. It can be hard for young children to understand what is happening to their family. It can be difficult for children to process this time as their family dynamic changes. As your divorce attorney in Osage Beach, MO , our law center sees a number of children struggle as their parents get a divorce at the Lake of the Ozarks. We’re here to help parents through the divorce process but we’d also like to help offer advice on how to make this stressful time easier on your kids, as well. 1) Be Honest It’s best to be honest about your divorce with your kids. While they may not need to know all the ugly details, they deserve to know what is going on with their parents. Have an open conversation about your divorce from your spouse and let them know they can ask any questions they may have. Try to answer any questions in an honest and positive manor. 2) Encourage them to Share Feelings You should always encourage your kid
Read more

Meet Attorney Deirdre O'Donnell!

Image
Positive and genuine client relationships are our number one priority at O'Donnell Law Center. We truly care about getting to know our clients so we can provide them with the best possible legal services at the Lake of the Ozarks . We recognize that strong relationships are a two-way street, though, so this week we're dedicating our blog to helping you get to know the Lake of the Ozarks' top attorney , Ms. Deirdre O'Donnell. Getting to Know Deirdre! I was born in St. Louis, Missouri on February 22, 1962. I graduated from Pattonville High School in St. Louis County and went on to earn a BA from Washington University in St. Louis, a Master's Degree in Social Work from Washington University and a Juris Doctorate Degree from Washington University School of Law. By 1996, I was licensed to practice law in the state of Missouri. In my young adult years, I played keyboard and performed in various St. Louis venues in a contemporary jazz band. I later worked a
Read more

Cremation vs Burial – What’s the Difference?

Image
Planning for end of life may come with more decisions than you first expect. Creating an estate plan near the Lake of the Ozarks can help relieve your loved ones from having to make many tough decisions upon your passing. Not only can you decide who will receive your assets, you can also plan your end of life wishes for being laid to rest. Our estate planning attorney in Camden County, Missouri wants to help inform you of some of the decisions you’ll need to make as you make your end of life plans. In this week’s blog, we’re comparing the difference between cremation and burial options for being laid to rest. All About Cremation: Cremation is the act of being incinerated until your remains become ashes. This method of body disposal is becoming more and more popular. Timeframe – cremation can take place further after death. The flexibility with time allows your family time to gather and plan a more personalized ceremony. Paying Respects – family and friends can memorialize th
Read more