Beaverton Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in Beaverton, OR

Most people in Beaverton have preferences about what should be done with their property after they die. This is why the procedure of estate planning exists - it authorizes people to make a broad range of decisions related to this issue.

Estate planning normally requires professional legal and financial advice, because of the complexity and importance of the issues involved. A poorly-executed estate plan can commonly end with survivors suing each other, and prevent your intentions from being effectuated.

While planning your estate, there are a few frequent issues that most people should consider. One big one is the decision relating to power of attorney, which is an arrangement where you give one person the power to make legally-binding decisions on your behalf. You can set up an agreement telling your representative clearly what power they have, what you want them to do, and when the power will vest (normally, if and when you become unable to make your own decisions).

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 Beaverton attorney every step of the way.

Common Features of Beaverton Estates

Will: This is the centerpiece of most estate plans. A will is a document written by a person (the "testator"), normally with the help of a lawyer, which says what is to be done with their property after they die. Most provisions in a will are legally binding, to the extent that ownership of the property legally passes to the named beneficiary. Nonetheless, a will cannot compel a person to do anything against their wishes (though it can certainly state your preferences on the matter, phrasing them as requests).

Living Will: A living will contains instructions about your medical care, typically for the purpose of informing your family and doctors of your preferences if you suddenly become incapacitated. A living will is extremely critical if you have any strong preferences in this area. It should be written with the advice of a doctor, so you know the particular medical consequences of your decisions, and a lawyer, so it is virtually guaranteed to be legally binding.

Power of Attorney: Power of attorney allows you to grant someone else (normally a trusted family member or friend) the power to make certain decisions in your place, with the same legal effect as if you had made them yourself, in the event that you become unable to do so (normally due to mental or physical incapacity). If you decide to give someone power of attorney, you should make your wishes known to them in advance, so they are more likely to make the same decisions that you would make, if you were able to. And, of course, you should exclusively give this authority to someone with whom you would trust your life because that is, in some cases, just what you're doing.

Funeral Arrangements: You should make it very clear to the individuals handling your funeral what type of funeral you want, and what you want done with your body. You should not put these instructions in your will, because wills are commonly not read until days or weeks after the testator dies, by which point it may be too late to give their wishes on this subject effect.

Do I Need a Beaverton Estates Lawyer?

A seasoned estate planning professional in Beaverton can be invaluable, and you will probably find their services to be well worth the price. They can make the whole process a great deal simpler, and they can also help to minimize the chances that your estate plan will be disputed, saving your survivors a great deal of time, money, and energy.

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

Life in Beaverton

Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon. It is near Portland. In 2010, Money Magazine listed it as one of the "100 Best Places to Live" amongst the smaller cities in the United States.

Top employers include Reser's Fine Foods, Leupold Stevens, Nike, Inc., Phoenix Technologies, Linux Technology Center (IBM), Tektronix, Maxim Integrated Products, VeriWave, and Intel. The legal force also has a strong presence in Beaverton because many attorneys practice and reside here. These attorneys work in small firms or law offices and focus on providing their clients with excellent legal services.

Other reasons for recognition include the fact that in 2006, Beaverton's very own Murrayhill Little League baseball team was qualified for the 2006 Little League World Series. Also, in 2002, the city's little league softball team won second place in the Little League Softball World Series. Beaverton is also known to have one of the largest fencing clubs in the nation--Northwest Fencing Center.

Overall, Beaverton is an exciting place to live in or visit!

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