New Orleans Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in New Orleans, LA

In New Orleans, "estate planning" refers to all of the decisions affecting how a person's property is going to be disposed of after their death, as well as the procedure of implementing those decisions when the time comes.

Estate planning usually requires the advice of a legal and/or financial expert, because the issues involved can be confusing, and are regarded by most to be very important. A flawed estate plan might create conflict between your survivors, resulting in your intentions not being given effect.

Estate planning can have various positive effects on the planner during life, as well. These benefits are usually somewhat intangible, revolving around the peace of mind that comes with knowing that, after your death, you family will be taken care of and that they'll know what your last wishes are. Nonetheless, most people find this very valuable. To that end, you should come up with a power-of-attorney agreement. When you grant someone power of attorney, you have given them the power to make certain decisions on your behalf. You can grant them as much or as little authority as you want. Most individuals, however, give family members or life partners power of attorney with respect to medical care, so if they become incapacitated, their wishes will still be carried out.

The last thing a person wants to think about is the possibility that, after their death, their survivors are fighting over some part of their estate plan that's ambiguous or otherwise contentious. If you want to keep this, or at least make it far less possible, you should have the help of a New Orleans attorney every step of the way.

Common Features of New Orleans Estates

Will: A will is often the central component of an estate plan. It is a legal document which says what is to be done with a person's assets after they die. It usually involves giving money and property to the testator's close family members, friends, and sometimes charitable organizations.

Living Will: This is a document which articulates your wishes regarding your medical care, to give instructions to your family and doctors in the event that you become incapacitated. While actually consulting it will hopefully never be necessary, one never knows - unexpected illnesses and injuries can happen to anyone, at any time. While making a living will might require a person to acknowledge the existence of some unpleasant possibilities, it can end up saving their loved ones a great deal of grief and uncertainty.

Power of Attorney: Power of attorney, while important, is not to be used lightly. This is because it involves granting someone else the power to make legally-binding decisions on your behalf. Usually, your spouse will automatically have power of attorney if you become incapacitated. If you are not married, however, you need to make a document explicitly granting that authority to someone you trust (a life partner or close family member, for instance).

Funeral Arrangements: Whatever your preference on this matter (if you have a preference) you should make it known to your family both verbally and in writing. If you have very particular wishes regarding the final disposition of your mortal remains, you should not put those instructions in your will. Or, if you do, you should also put them somewhere else. Wills are typically not read for quite some time after a person dies, and the funeral is usually long over by then, so it will be too late to follow your instructions.

Do I Need a New Orleans Estates Lawyer?

A flawed estate plan in New Orleans can result in those affected by it being confused as to your intent, which can then lead to disputes between them. A reputable attorney can often avoid this confusion by ensuring that there is as little ambiguity as possible in your will and other related documents.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in New Orleans

New Orleans is the largest city in the State of Louisiana and know to most as "The Big Easy" but locals just call it "Nawlins." Despite natural disasters of the past few years, New Orleans has rebounded back once again and plays host to one of the most unique multicultural communities in the entire United States. New Orleans is famous for being the birthplace of jazz, Creole cuisine and culture, and their annual blowout celebrations like Mardi Gras during Spring Break. In fact, tourism plays a major role in the New Orleans economy. It has been consistently voted one of "America's Favorite Cities" by Travel Magazine. New Orleans' sports teams like the Saints and Hornets, local universities like Tulane and Loyola, and cultural attractions like the French Quarter draw a high number of visitors.

The City of New Orleans is known globally for its diverse representation of unique architecture. The Port of New Orleans is touted as one of the busiest and most expansive in the world. The city is a major southern hub for transportation and distribution. Acme Truck Line and Boh Brothers Construction are two of the city's significant employers. In addition to oil refineries and chemical production, New Orleans is home to the second largest coffee roasting plant in the world. It's owned and operated by Folgers Coffee.

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