Established Legal Practitioner With Over Twenty Seven Years Of Experience

An Estate Planning Attorney In San Antonio, Texas | Estate Planning & Probate

Estate Planning

Estate matters are critically important, sometimes emotional, and always necessary. Every person, regardless of age, health, or wealth needs to have a proper estate plan in place. If you die without a will, the laws of the State of Texas arbitrarily determine the disposition of your property. The people you value and treasure the most, your loved ones, will be appreciative that you have a proper estate plan in place that makes it easy on them during their time of grief.

No one knows how long they have to live. An illness, catastrophic injury, or unexpected death could occur tomorrow. Are you prepared?

Your estate plan includes the following:

• A Will detailing your wishes with respect to your possessions that designates a person you trust to manage the probate process.
• A Power of Attorney designating a person you trust to manage your finances when you are not able.
• A Medical Power of Attorney designating a person you trust to manage your medical decision-making when you are not able.
• A Medical Directive (sometimes referred to as a Living Will) detailing your wishes regarding end of life medical decisions.
• A HIPAA authorization permitting your Medical Power of Attorney access to your medical records for proper decision-making.
• A Children’s Medical Power of Attorney designating a person you trust to make medical decisions for your minor children if you are not able.

Assets such as bank accounts, life insurance proceeds, 401k accounts, and IRA accounts can also pass to your loved ones outside of your Will. Each of the financial institutions that hold or manage these accounts have a simple ‘payable on death’ form you can fill out that designates the person or persons you want to receive these funds upon your death. A ‘payable on death’ form takes just a few minutes to complete and will save significant time and expense after your death. To receive these funds after your death, all that is required of your loved ones is to present the financial institution with a certified copy of your death certificate as well as identification confirming they are the person or persons designated on your ‘payable on death’ form. As part of the estate planning process, the Law Office of Seth K. Bell can assist in working with your financial institutions, to carry out your wishes and to make sure these forms are in place.

Also, in consideration of your overall estate plan, the Law Office of Seth K. Bell highly recommends that you put a funeral and burial plan in place, one that is prepaid with the funeral home and cemetery of your choice. Without such a plan, these decisions are made immediately after your death when your loved ones are grieving the most. Eliminating these difficult decisions and their costs while simultaneously ensuring that your wishes are followed can provide immense comfort and relief to your loved ones and friends during their time of loss…Click here to read more about our Estate Planning Services.

Probate

The loss of a loved one is an emotional and overwhelming experience. Important decisions need to be made during this time even though you are grieving their loss. You can rely on the Law Office of Seth K. Bell to be your guide. The Law Office of Seth K. Bell will assist you in probating the Will of your loved one. When you work with us, the process will be much easier. It does not have to be expensive and can even be paid from the Estate.

Often a surviving spouse or child is named as the Executor in the Will and is tasked with probating the Will. The Texas probate process is one of Independent Administration with little court involvement. In almost all probate matters you are only required to appear in court one time to admit the Will to probate and be formally designated as the Estate’s Executor. The rest of the probate process consists of notifications to potential estate creditors and beneficiaries, and preparing an Estate inventory to file for approval by the court. The Estate assets will also be distributed in accordance with the Will. When you work with the Law Office of Seth K. Bell, we will simplify the entire probate process so it goes smoothly, allowing you to focus on being with your family…Click here to read more about our Probate Services.