Wills And Basic Estate Planning in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Taking the initial steps toward creating a solid estate plan is one of the most significant actions you can take for your family. Having a clear plan ensures that your wishes are followed and helps prevent your loved ones from experiencing additional emotional stress during an already difficult time.
Andy Gregory Law, PLLC, protects families and individuals in Eden Prairie and throughout Eden Prairie, Plymouth, Minnetonka, Edina, Bloomington, Roseville, Woodbury, Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding Twin Cities communities by providing straightforward, empathetic probate guidance.
What Is A Will?
Executing a Will allows you to nominate a personal representative and designate beneficiaries according to your personal preferences, rather than having Minnesota’s default intestate laws dictate who inherits your property.
By using an experienced Minnesota will attorney, a person can appoint individuals to take ownership of property and personal belongings and avoid having the state decide for them.
What Does A Basic Estate Plan Include?
A simple estate plan isn’t a single document but a coordinated plan that meets the client’s immediate and future desires. A typical plan includes:
- Will: A will designates a Personal Representative (rather than an Executor) to manage and settle the estate.
- Guardianship designations: Legal declarations of who will care for minor children if parents pass away.
- Healthcare directive: A document to designate a healthcare agent and express medical preferences.
- Power of attorney: A document to grant financial decision-making authority during incapacity.
Combining these building blocks will ensure that Eden Prairie citizens have full protection for all financial and personal needs.
What Happens If You Don’t Have A Will In Minnesota?
If a person dies without having made a will in Minnesota, then the intestacy laws of Minnesota control the distribution of their estate. This strict legal process may also disperse the decedent’s assets in ways they never intended and consume considerable judicial time in public probate proceedings.
Benefits Of Creating A Will
You can name guardians for your minor children with a properly drafted will, so if anything were to happen to you while they are still underage, they would be in capable hands. Under Minnesota law, parents can nominate a guardian in their Will to care for their surviving minor children if the parents pass away before the children reach the age of majority. With a properly written will, family arguments can be avoided and administrative tasks will be easier to handle for those left behind.
Do You Need A Lawyer To Draft A Will?
DIY will templates are readily available online, but they come with significant risks. They may not comply with specific Minnesota execution formalities or address complex family circumstances, which can render provisions invalid or lead to unintended estate outcomes.
Get Help Drafting Your Will: Call An Experienced Estate Planning Attorney
People can reach out to Andy Gregory Law, PLLC, for honest and personalized legal advice. To schedule an appointment and speak with a knowledgeable attorney, please call 612-778-0759 or complete the easy online contact form.