You may be asking yourself, “do I really need a will?”

A better question is “Do I want to have control over what happens to my property when I die?” If your answer to this question is “yes” then you need a will.

There are lots of reasons why you might want a will, but the most obvious one is that a will allows you to have a say in how your assets are distributed after your death.

Alabama law has an intestacy statute that determines what happens to your property if you die “intestate,” meaning if you die without leaving a will. The intestacy statute was drafted to distribute property in a way that closely represents how  the average person would have designed his estate plan had he signed a will.

Of course, what the average person might have chosen for his estate plan is not necessarily what YOU would want for yours.

The only way to make sure that your property is distributed the way you want after your death is to execute a valid last will and testament. 

Another reason to have a will?  It saves your loved ones money.  Your will can be written in a way that minimizes taxes and avoids added costs to your family like probate bonds, inventories, and reports to the court.  Having a will also streamlines the probate process so that it is as quick and painless for your family as possible.

The best way to make sure that your estate plan works for you is to hire a lawyer.   Get peace of mind by talking to our experienced estate planning attorneys today.  Call us at 205-553-5353 or come by our Tuscaloosa office to find out what we can do to protect your property and your family.