Atascosa County Probate Litigation Attorney

Atascosa County Estate Planning and Administration Lawyer

No matter your age, the amount of assets you own, or the circumstances of your family, it is important to plan for the future. For many people, the creation of an estate plan may seem like something that can be addressed later in their life as they begin to consider what should happen to their property and finances after they die. However, estate planning can ensure that people of any age will be able to help their family members avoid uncertainty and conflict if they should pass away unexpectedly. It can also help a person make sure they will be able to provide for themselves and that their wishes will be followed correctly no matter what happens to them in the future. A skilled attorney can help a family address these needs and provide assistance with the management of a person's final affairs after their death.

At the law office of Geoff Mayfield, Attorney at Law, we work to help families address their needs and concerns regarding the ownership and use of their assets. Geoff has over 15 years of experience helping clients address these issues, and he can explain the tools that a family may be able to use to protect assets and ensure that a person's wishes will be carried out correctly. He can also provide representation for those who need to manage the estate of a deceased loved one, and he can help resolve any disputes that may arise regarding a person's last wishes.

Estate Planning and Contested Estates in Atascosa County

By creating a comprehensive estate plan, family members can make decisions about what they want to happen in the future, including after a person's death and while they are still alive. In many cases, these decisions are set down in a will. Wills provide instructions for how certain issues will be handled after a person dies, including how they want to pass their property and assets to their family members or other heirs and who they want to provide guardianship for children who have not yet reached adulthood.

Trusts can serve a similar function, and assets held in a trust will be distributed to a person's beneficiaries by a person who serves as a trustee. However, distributions from trusts can be completed at any time the creator of the trust wishes, including while they are still alive and after their death. With a revocable living trust, a person can name themselves as a beneficiary, using a trust's assets to provide for their own needs later in life. Special needs trusts are another beneficial type of agreement that can allow a family to provide financial assistance to a loved one without affecting that person's ability to receive public aid such as disability benefits.

Other estate planning tools may be used to address financial concerns or medical care that a person receives before their death. Powers of attorney will allow a person to name someone who will have the authority to make certain types of decisions for them, including in situations where they may be incapacitated. A person's end-of-life care may be addressed through a living will or advance medical directives, and they can determine what types of treatment they should receive if they have been diagnosed with a terminal condition.

Family members will want to ensure that they are following a loved one's wishes during the process of estate administration. Geoff provides assistance in these cases, helping an executor or estate representative complete the probate process. He also assists with probate litigation involving contested estates, including providing representation for fiduciaries as they carry out a loved one's instructions, as well as representation for beneficiaries in cases involving contested wills or other types of estate-related disputes.

Contact Our Atascosa County Contested Estates Lawyer

Attorney Geoff Mayfield provides legal help and representation for families who are looking to create or update their estate plans, as well as those who need to resolve issues related to contested wills or estates. Contact us at 210-535-0870 to schedule a complimentary consultation. Geoff serves clients throughout Atascosa County and the surrounding areas.