A properly drafted Will can benefit your family both financially and emotionally. The attorneys at Hall & Bell have years of experience drafting Last Wills & Testaments that that will allow your family’s estate to move easily through the Probate and Administration process.

It has been said that death ends a life, not a relationship.

Wills & Probate Administration

At its most basic, a Will is a legally recognized document that establishes, after your death, how your property is passed on to your designated beneficiaries. A properly executed signed and attested Will can save your family thousands of dollars, but the opposite is also true: Dying without a Will or a poorly written and unenforceable Will can cost your family both financially and emotionally. Just as no two families are alike, each estate is also unique.

In Alabama, a person can write their own Will, but why would you? The consequences of a poorly drawn Will can be harsh and expensive and could result in the rejection by the Court of the Will. Let us help make your intentions and plans for your assets and property pass simply and correctly, to the beneficiaries you select, without unnecessary expenses and costs.

The attorneys at Hall & Bell can give counsel to the personal representative of the estate through every step of the probate process, which by law, may not be concluded in less than six (6) months so that the required notices can made to any person interested in the Estate to allow them time to act.

Although our office is located in Dothan, Alabama, the attorneys at Hall & Bell have regularly handled probate matters throughout the Southeast Alabama area, including probate cases in Geneva, Henry, Dale and Coffee County, Alabama, but we are licensed in every part of the State of Alabama.

Family Issues in Probate Court

There are many other personal family concerns and related documents that are important to you and your family that the attorneys at Hall & Bell can review with you. These should be considered by every individual as they can have important benefits if you have them, and severe consequences if the need arises and they have not been put in place. Some of these important papers include the following:

1. A LAST WILL & TESTAMENT-Understand this one thing, the preparation of a proper Last Will & Testament can be the single most important document you will ever make.
2. A LIVING WILL-This is also known as an Advance Directive. This document gives instructions for your care and treatment when you are no longer able to speak for yourself. It can also authorize another person, usually your closest family member to make medical and health related choices if you are not able to do so yourself; this person is called a Health Care Proxy.
3. A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY-Next to your Last Will & Testament, this can be one of the most important documents you may ever make. The attorneys at Hall & Bell can make certain that you properly designate and appoint a trusted individual to make decisions and act on your behalf and for your benefit.
4. A LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY-This document gives another person limited authority to act for you and for a specific purpose, such as for the sale of a property when you cannot be available or a business transaction. It can also be a broad appointment for any circumstance or event that might arise relating to an anticipated transaction or event that you cannot attend. A limited power of attorney can be created for a specific purpose and can be written to be used within a specified period of time.

The probate practice of Hall & Bell includes all cases under the jurisdiction of the Probate Court which includes not only Wills and Estates, but also Trusts, incompetency hearings that require the creation of Conservatorships, Guardianships, as well as name changes and adoptions.