It can be difficult to imagine a time when you won’t be around to care for your loved ones, or even yourself. And yet, as unpleasant as it is, you owe it to yourself and your family to make sure that if the worst happens, everything will be in order. There’s so much at stake—your children, your spouse or partner, your business interests and real estate holdings—and an Estate Lawyer Auckland is the only person who can help you make sure that none of those things gets damaged because of what happens after you pass away.
You have property or investments.
If you have property or investments, an estate planner is essential. Commercial Property Lawyers Auckland can help you prepare for the future by making sure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes and not just at random. They can also advise you on how to avoid conflicts with family members or prepare an inheritance plan if there are disputes among family members over who should receive what after a loved one’s death.
An estate lawyer goes beyond wills and trusts, however—they can also help with other issues such as:
- Creating a living will or advance directive (a document outlining a person’s wishes when they cannot make decisions for themselves)
- Providing instructions on how medical treatment should be administered in case of incapacitation
- Giving direction regarding funeral arrangements
You have children.
If you have children, they may not be aware of how you want your Estate Lawyer Auckland handled. Even if they are in the same state as you, their involvement may be limited to helping with paperwork or other details that only a lawyer can help with. If there is more than one child, ensuring that each one’s interests are protected will require special attention.
You have complicated relationships with your loved ones.
Do you have complicated relationships with your loved ones? If so, an estate lawyer can help.
- Your children are from different relationships: If you’ve had more than one marriage or relationship, your child might be a product of those distinct unions. Each partner may want to leave something to their child in their will, which could create conflict if there isn’t enough for both parents to give their children what they want. An estate lawyer can help resolve these issues by creating a plan that will ensure their wishes are followed after they pass away.
- You have a disabled or mentally ill child: This is another situation in which having an expert’s guidance is invaluable; parents of disabled kids often feel overwhelmed with medical bills and other expenses associated with caring for them on their own—and it’s important that they know what resources exist so they don’t make mistakes along the way that could cause further harm to themselves or their children later down the road when trying to cope with something as difficult as raising someone who has special needs or worse yet if there was some kind of accident.
You are in the middle of a divorce.
Divorce is a rough process. It’s difficult for everyone involved and can lead to many conflicts and disagreements, not just between you and your spouse, but also with everyone else around you. Divorce creates uncertainty about your future financial situation and how your assets will be distributed. In addition, divorce can cause confusion over who should get what property—or even whether it should be sold or donated.
Estate lawyers can help you settle your affairs and make sure your family is taken care of after you pass away.
Estate lawyers may also be able to assist with what’s called “estate tax planning,” which means helping clients minimize their tax liability based on how they set up their estates. If your estate is large enough that taxes become an issue for its beneficiaries upon death (and most people aren’t thinking about this until it becomes necessary), then an estate lawyer will know exactly how much money they’ll have available to distribute while managing the impact on their estates’ overall worth so that there won’t be any surprises after they pass away
Conclusion
As you can see, these are all situations that an estate lawyer can help make easier to manage. They’re not just for the rich and famous; they’re for anyone who wants to ensure their property and assets are protected, that their children are properly cared for if something happens to them, or that their relationships with their loved ones don’t fall into disarray.