Trusts & Wills
At The Law Office of Nathan A. Skinner, PLC, we are able to properly prepare many types of trusts, depending on your individual needs and goals. A living trust, which is created while you are alive, may be used to avoid probate proceedings and can have certain tax advantages as well. This type of trust can be either revocable or irrevocable, and we will discuss this with you in detail. Our firm can fully discuss with you the benefits of a trust and how it can serve you and your family. Determining whether you should have a will or trust can be fully explained to you as well.
Power of Attorney/Living Wills
An important part of estate planning is preparing documents to give another person (your “Agent”) power to make decisions for you, as well as act in your name, in the event you are unable to do so for yourself. A Durable Power of Attorney gives your Agent power regarding financial decisions and actions, and a Health Care Power of Attorney outlines your wishes regarding your health care and end-of-life decisions. Our office will prepare these documents for you, while helping you determine which specific powers you want to give your Agent with regard to your finances and your health care. These documents can be provided to your banking institutions and your health care providers, in order to prove such designated powers.
Probate Proceedings
We know that understanding probate procedures and undergoing the process can be trying after the death of a loved one. Fundamentally, probate is a legal procedure by which the estate of a deceased person is managed. It starts with a petition to the court to open the proceedings and the assignment of a Personal Representative to execute the wishes of the deceased in accordance with Arizona probate law. Next, official notices are sent to interested parties regarding the estate and any hearings to resolve matters are conducted. Once all debts of the estate are paid and the remainder is properly distributed, a petition to discharge is filed and the estate can be closed. The theory of probate is simple but the reality can frequently be complex and contested. This is where we offer our help and successful experience to you and your family.