Each of us should make a Last Will and Testament. This is a legal document that tells how we want our property to be handled when we die.  Some people think that only rich people, or those with a great deal of property need to make a will.  That is wrong.

In fact, the failure to make a simple and inexpensive will can cause much more trouble and expense for people with little money or property. When you make a will, you state your wishes as to who gets your property when you die. For most people, that is not a complicated thing and is not expensive.

The will should state the name of the person who one wants to carry out the terms of the will and see that those named in the will receive the property left to them in the will. That person is known as The Independent Executor. The Executor also sees that that any debts owed by the deceased are paid from the Estate.

Probate is the procedure of filing the will with the Probate Court after the death of the person making the will. It is most often an uncomplicated process and not nearly as expensive as many people believe. The Executor employs an attorney to file the will with the court and to represent him or her at a brief hearing. At that time, someone familiar with the deceased answers questions under oath, following which the judge signs a court order which states that the will is legal and the Executor has authority to act on behalf of the Estate.

At Ratliff and Edwards, we help our clients with the process of dealing with the estate of a loved one and consider it a privilege to do so.