GADSDEN & ETOWAH COUNTY WILLS & TRUSTS LAWYER

Wills & Trusts are very important to people who want to protect and provide for their families after they are gone. We work with people to ensure that the Will and/or Trust they need and want is created properly for them. While there are many online sites that say they will provide an adequate Will, there are state-specific issues that have to be addressed, which these sites often do not. Additionally, everyone’s situation is different, and a simple form Will does not provide for their needs. You do not want to leave something as important as your Will or a Trust in the hands of a person you are not familiar with or an online site that does not have the specifics to work properly within your state and meet your legal needs.

GADSDEN & ETOWAH COUNTY Probate and Estate Administration LAWYER

Probate is the process of settling an estate under the supervision of the court.  When a person dies with a will, the will is usually probated, which means that it is filed with the probate court of the county in which the decedent resided at the time of death. We represent individuals, families, and financial institutions in navigating the sometimes complicated, probate and estate administration process, including the following areas:

• Advise family members concerning the settlement of a decedent’s estate, including gathering assets, payment of outstanding obligations, preparation of gift and estate tax returns and consideration of various options concerning the taxation of the estate, including generation skipping tax issues, and distribution of the assets as desired by the decedent, and closing the estate.
• Represent individual and corporate fiduciaries in the administration and settlement of the decedent’s estate, including representation in court as needed, from the filing of a petition for probate of the will through the final settlement of the estate.
• Represent fiduciaries and beneficiaries in connection with distribution of principal and/or income from trusts and assist in the administration of the trust.
• Represent family members and others who may have claims against the estate or object to the will or the administration of the estate by the fiduciary.
• Address business succession issues for the closely held business owner and the orderly transfer of the business to family members, employees, or purchasers of the business.
• Represent out of state clients in ancillary administration of estates for the transfer of real estate and other assets located in this state.
• Assist in resolution of family issues involving estate settlement and business issues.

GADSDEN & ETOWAH COUNTY GUARDIANSHIP & CONSERVATORSHIPS LAWYER

There may be a time when your loved ones are unable to manage their own financial and personal affairs. You may be able to assist them in some way, such as paying bills, but there are times when it may be necessary to file for a guardianship and/or conservatorship. These are generally called “protective proceedings.” This proceeding is a process by which a court appoints someone to care for an individual when they are no longer able to care for themselves.

If you have a loved one in need of this type of assistance, we can help. Our firm also represents individuals when someone files a petition for protective proceedings against them. If a protective proceeding is not appropriate, then it is important that a client’s rights are protected.

GADSDEN & ETOWAH COUNTY POWER OF ATTORNEY LAWYER

In the event that a person is no longer able to manage his/her property or health care decisions, they have the option to hand over power of attorney to a loved one. Powers of attorney are an important estate planning tool to help ensure that your affairs are properly managed if you are no longer able to do so. In many instances, a power of attorney will be an integral part of your estate planning plan. The person you give this power to should be someone you can fully trust with all matters concerning your health and/or finances. For this reason, these documents should only be set up after careful consideration and with guidance from a skilled legal professional.

GADSDEN & ETOWAH COUNTY ELDER LAW LAWYER

We assist many of our older clients with “elder law” matters. Elder law is basically a type of estate planning that focuses on the particular legal and financial needs of the senior community. A large component of this process is discussing whether a client will have sufficient resources to pay for any future assisted living or nursing home care.

MIRANDA RIGHTS & RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT

Your Miranda rights grant you the right to refuse to answer self-incriminating questions asked by police or other law enforcement personnel after you have been arrested. Alabama criminal defense lawyers Dani Bone & Sam Bone thoroughly understands this law, which went into effect nationwide in 1966 as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court case. That's why attorney Dani Bone has such a strong track record for helping people get charges dismissed if their Miranda rights were violated.

advanced directive / medical power of attorney

An advance directive is used to tell your doctor and family what kind of medical care you want if you are too sick or hurt to talk or make decisions. If you do not have this document, certain members of your family will have to decide on your care. It is your right to make important legal decisions related to your care.

If you do have an advance directive, the hospital & doctors, will have clear directions as to what medical treatment you want.

There are three types of Advance Directives for Health Care recognized under Alabama law, including a living will, a proxy designation (naming who you want to make decisions for you) and a health care durable power of attorney.