Estate Planning & Probate

Estate Planning & Probate Attorneys in Longview

Helping Clients Protect Their Family’s Financial Future

A comprehensive estate plan is one that answers many questions for your family, not all of which relate to the management and distribution of property in your estate. Although this is a key issue in any estate plan, other matters such as your end-of-life medical care, who will raise your minor children, and what happens to your business can – and should – also be addressed.

Coghlan Crowson, LLP is the law firm you need if you want to build a comprehensive estate plan that can protect your family’s interest in your estate. Our attorneys will invest time in learning about your concerns and objectives, using this information to design personalized estate planning solutions that can work for you and your loved ones.

Our estate planning and probate attorneys can help you address important issues, such as:

• Wills and trusts
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Medical Power of Attorney
• Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates (also known as a Living Will)
• HIPAA Release Authorization
• Structuring of Business Entities
• Asset Protection

We may be able to address other matters in your estate plan that are not listed here. Learn more about what we can help you accomplish by scheduling a consultation with our estate planning and probate attorneys.

What is Probate?

Probate is a court-supervised process to ensure a will is authentic and the terms of a will are satisfied. During probate, all of the assets will be located and be assessed for their value. After any taxes and debts are paid, the remaining value will be distributed. This process is much more complicated when there isn’t a will, as the court will have to handle the proceedings and decisions.

Do You Have Loved Ones in Your Care?

You can establish a legal guardianship if you have an adult relative in your care who is unable to address their own needs for food, clothing, shelter, or financial affairs. Being a legal guardian for such an individual allows you to make important decisions on their behalf that they are otherwise incapable of making.

An incapacitated adult can be someone who is suffering from a debilitating physical or mental illness, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. Should a minor child with a debilitating condition turn 18 years old, a guardianship may become necessary to provide for their continued care.

Guardianship can also be addressed in estate planning by allowing you to select a successor to take over your role as a third party’s legal guardian. This is most typically done for parents with minor children to consider, but guardians with adults in their care can also take the necessary steps in their estate plan to determine who should take over for them.

We Can Assist With Probate Matters

Probate, the court proceedings that validate wills and oversee estate administrations, is often a dreaded task among the deceased’s loved ones. It does not have to be. Our estate planning and probate attorneys can provide the guidance and support that clients need to move through this process as efficiently as possible.

We can also help our clients litigate important disputes that may arise during probate, such as doubts about a will’s validity and other related conflicts.