If you want your estate to go to your family or an organization, it is important to have a written will. The assets of people who die without a will may go to the state if the deceased wasn’t married and didn’t have any surviving relatives. However, if he or she leaves a will, his or her assets can go to whomever he or she wishes to have them.
Types of Gifts
There are two types of gifts that can be left in wills: general and specific gifts. Specific gifts are specific items that you want someone to have, such as a valuable painting that you might leave your sister. General gifts include a share of the property that is left after specific gifts are distributed. If you have a house or land, real estate lawyers, such as those who work at The Law Office of Scott C. Painter, P.C., can work with an estate planning attorney so that you can leave it to a specific person or put it in a revocable living trust.
Avoiding Probate
If you want your relatives to get your assets right away, you can arrange to put them in a living trust. However, if you own your house or land with another person, it will pass to him or her because it is jointly owned, which is known as joint tenancy. If your house or land is only under your name, real estate lawyers in Wyomissing, PA or nearby probate attorneys can help you change that so the ownership also includes your spouse, child, or anyone else you designate.
An estate planning lawyer can also help clients with living wills so that if they become incapacitated due to illness or an accident, the people they designate can make medical decisions for them. If you need help from real estate lawyers close to Wyomissing, schedule a consultation with Scott Painter.
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