Rolla Wills Lawyers Help Clients Create a Lasting Legacy
Knowledgeable attorneys advise on drafting a will in Missouri
The Rolla wills lawyers at Williams, Robinson, Rigler & Buschjost, P.C. help Missouri residents create testamentary documents that accurately convey their intentions and satisfy legal standards. We go beyond the basics so that you understand all of your estate planning options and don’t overlook something important when drafting your will. Whether your objectives are fairly straightforward or you require high-level counsel to handle complex concerns, we are here to provide the legal support you need.
Why do you need a will?
After working hard to accumulate assets over a lifetime, you’re entitled to control their disposition after you have passed away. Unless you have a legal will, however, the state will determine who gets your property, not you. Under the priority system set forth in Missouri’s intestacy law, your estate would be divided based on legal family relationships. Your preferences or history with a particular person do not count. For example, if your estate is to be divided among your two siblings, each would receive equal value even if you were close to one and estranged from the other.
Why use a lawyer to draft a will?
You might believe that your estate is relatively simple, but when you discuss your goals with a Rolla estate planning attorney, you might realize that creating the optimal will is more complicated than it originally seemed. The advice you receive from our firm goes far beyond what you’d find online or in a do-it-yourself will making kit. Our lawyers can make suitable arrangements for the distribution of complex assets such as business ownership interests and investment accounts. No matter how extensive your portfolio might be, we can draft a testamentary document that is valid and clear to minimize the possibility of a will contest after you’re gone. You can also count on us for personalized guidance on estate planning instruments to supplement your will, such as a revocable trust. This is an option frequently utilized by people who count avoiding probate in Missouri among their objectives.
What to expect when you work with a wills lawyer
To make the will drafting process more efficient, it is a good idea to have some basic information about your assets and debts when you meet with an attorney. Along with information on any real estate you own, financial accounts and other items, you might also want to think beforehand about potential heirs, as well as the people you are considering to serve as will executor and/or guardian of your minor children. We will take you through the process and prepare the document, which must be signed in the presence of two disinterested witnesses to be valid.
A will should be just one facet of an overall estate plan. You might wish to concurrently draft a durable power of attorney document and an advance healthcare directive so you can feel safe knowing that critical decisions are in good hands and that your wishes will be respected if you are incapacitated.
Changing a will
Relationships and financial circumstances can change quickly. If you delay revising your will, it might not reflect your current intentions. We assist with will revisions involving changes to beneficiaries and allocations. Specific events that might lead you to update your estate plan include:
- Marriage or divorce
- Addition of a new child, stepchild or grandchild
- Changes to tax laws
- Significant financial shifts
In an uncertain world, failing to act quickly on a will revision could result in a situation where your property is not distributed according to your wishes.
Speak with an experienced Missouri attorney about drafting a will
Williams, Robinson, Rigler & Buschjost, P.C. works with Missouri clients to draft comprehensive, enforceable wills. For a consultation regarding your specific needs, please call 573-458-9481 or contact us online. Our office is in Rolla.
