My Story
Law is a second career for me, vastly different than the profession of arms, where I devoted my youth. I was skeptical about the value a lawyer added to various transactions such as drafting contracts or writing a Will. I thought “who wants to pay a lawyer $1,000 for a Will!?” Not me. I couldn’t imagine the event that would unfold in the years to come.
During my final year of law school my father passed away unexpectedly. He wasn’t wealthy, he didn’t own real property, and he certainly didn’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars to have a Will prepared by an attorney. Upon his sudden passing, my brother and I were left with serious questions that needed immediate answers. This was complicated by the grief we were dealing experiencing. Did dad want to be buried? If so, where? Did he want to be cremated? Did he want a religious service? What did he want us to do with his belongings? What about his dog?
These questions and many more remain a mystery.
The Problem
The problem is that many attorneys charge more than most of us can afford. The result: people don’t have a Will. When you die intestate your next of kin must open a probate estate and go through a lengthy, confusing, and tiring process to distribute your property and deal with your debts. To die “intestate” means to die without a valid will. When someone dies without a will, their assets will be distributed according to the laws of their state of residence.
The laws can vary slightly from state to state, but in general, assets will be distributed first to the deceased person's spouse and children, if any. If the deceased person did not have a spouse or children, the assets will be distributed to the deceased person's parents or other close relatives, such as siblings or grandparents. If the deceased person had no living relatives, their assets will go to the state.
Fortunately, my brother and I agreed on each decision regarding the disposition of our father’s remains, his property, etc. Suppose we hadn’t. . . one of us wanted a particular religious service, or we disagreed on burial vs. cremation, or we wanted specific item that meant a lot to us. It could have been really bad.
The Solution
In order to encourage every adult to have a Will and to ease the process when you pass Apex Law Firm competitively prices our Will + Medical Directives for $99. With Apex Law you have a friend and attorney in your corner ready to help now, and available in crisis.
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