Deciding who will receive your property when you pass away is undoubtedly a stressful affair. It is even more stressful, however, for those left behind when they have to figure it out all by themselves. You can prevent issues for your loved ones by working with an attorney to create a definitive last will and testament. Here’s a few ways making family property arrangements ahead of time can reduce strife and ease heartbreak for your family.

Make Your Wishes Known

When you create clear cut family property arrangements, you make your last wishes known loud and clear. This helps your family move forward in mourning as the trust or court divides up the property according to your directions. They do not have to guess about what you may have wanted, fret about doing the wrong thing, or end up in mediation.

Prevents Interfamily Disputes

Interfamily disputes often arise as everyone tries to figure out how to divide up the property amongst themselves. No matter how well they may have known you, each person has their own perceptions of how you may have decided to proceed. With your family property arrangements all laid out ahead of time, you can keep your family members amicably working together to avoid fractured relationships.

Eliminates the Need for Probate

If you decide to create a living trust while drafting your last will and testament, you can help your family avoid going through probate. With a trust, your trustee handles the distribution of property instead of the court system. This speeds up the division of assets, allowing your family members to mourn freely and move on without dwelling on the loss.

Reach Out to a Lawyer for a Dedicated Advocate

To create legally binding family property arrangements, you need the help of a skilled and experienced attorney. They will create your last will and testament and help you set up a trust as needed to preserve and distribute your assets. You can gain that dedicated support from Attorney Charles D. Stark with a call to 707-527-9900. During your call, you can set up an appointment at a time and date that is convenient for you.