Legal Services We Offer OKC Families

Estate Planning

The world of estate planning is ever-growing and evolving, and we’re not just talking about Wills and Trusts. With the consistent introduction of varying inheritance laws, changing government benefits, and annual tax law changes, the opportunity for customized estate plans grows, but so does the complexity. We take pride in clearly explaining and navigating the often foggy landscape of Wills and Trusts and their relationship to individual values and governmental reforms. We help our clients draft Wills and Trusts that reflect their values and caters to their wishes related to their own unique situations. Whether this means creating a simple Will to pass assets to your loved ones, creating a Trust for a supplemental needs child, or creating a Trust for the benefit of your favorite charity, we can prepare any estate planning documents that further your goals of transferring assets to your beneficiaries.

Probate

Probate is the court-supervised process of validating the will of a deceased person (decedent). It involves getting a Personal Representative or Administrator appointed for the estate, identifying the decedent’s assets at the time of their death, paying their last debts, identifying their heirs, and distributing the decedent’s assets to the designated beneficiaries. However, if a person dies without a Will in Oklahoma, the State provides a standard plan for the distribution of their assets for them, although it may not reflect the decedent’s wishes. This process facilitates the transfer of assets such as real estate, personal property, and bank accounts from the decedent’s estate to the beneficiaries. Probate is also the mechanism used by creditors to recover any debts owed by the decedent. Typical probates take on average of about six to ten months to finish with more complex estates lasting years. You can represent yourself in these proceedings if you are so inclined. However, it is advised that you consult with an attorney given the complex nature of these proceedings.

Guardianship

Guardianship, also, referred to as conservatorship, is a legal process, utilized when a person can no longer make or communicate safe or sound decisions about their physical or mental well-being, the maintenance of their property, or has become susceptible to fraud or undue influence. A nominated or appointed guardian may be placed in charge of the incapacitated person (ward) and possibly their property by a Judge after a guardianship proceeding. Establishing guardianship may remove considerable rights from the ward. A guardianship is more permanent and is more legally effective compared to a power-of-attorney. The guardian will be responsible for the care of the incapacitated ward and will be held accountable to the Courts for the care of their ward and their property. The initial hearing for guardianship can be heard within 30 days from the filing of the petition. Notices of the hearing must be sent to all interested parties prior to the hearing. Under certain situations, an emergency guardianship may be granted by the Judge if the ward is in immediate danger.

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