Legal Advice

After a death, there are many legal details to tend to. While it is not necessary to get a lawyer, it is strongly recommended. A lawyer will make sure all the ‘t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted”. Do not dispense of any assets until you are able to provide an accounting of the estate. The time following a death of a loved one is extremely emotional, and even the closest family will have disagreements over the most trivial matters. To make sure there is still peace in the family, it is a good idea to let a lawyer figure things out.

Before getting in touch with a lawyer there are several important documents that you need to gather. Those include:

• Account Statements
• Beneficiary Designations
• Life Insurance Policies
• Real Estate Deeds
• Car and Boat Deeds
• Stock and Bond Certificates
• Pre-Nuptial Agreements
• Post-Nuptial Agreements
• Loans and Leases
• Copies of Bills (Utilites, credit cards, medical, etc.)
• Last Will
• Tax Returns