Trust and Estate Planning | Huntsville, AL

TRUST AND ESTATE PLANNING

HUNTSVILLE WILLS & ESTATES ATTORNEYS

Huntsville: Estate Planning and Probate Administration

Who should have a last will and testament? Every adult who owns any property or has children should have a will. If you die without a will, the laws of the state will determine who gets your assets, and your wishes may not be honored.

For more than 70 years, the Huntsville law firm of Johnston, Moore & Weston has provided estate planning and probate administration services to clients throughout northern Alabama.

Our Estate Planning Services

We write all the basic documents that every estate plan should include, after conducting thorough conversations with the client about their wishes. Common and important estate planning documents include:

We also discuss with our clients the advantages of planning ahead to minimize estate taxes and protect their assets for future generations.

Our Probate Administration Services

When a loved one dies who was a resident of Alabama, certain formal steps must be taken before that person’s possessions and assets (called the estate) can be distributed to beneficiaries. Sometimes the estate must go through the probate process, but sometimes probate is unnecessary.

Johnston, Moore & Weston regularly provides legal representation to personal representatives of estates, handling all the necessary legal steps up to and including distribution of assets.

Contact Johnston, Moore & Weston

If you have questions about estate planning or estate administration, we encourage you to contact Johnston, Moore & Weston to learn more about the services we offer. Call (256) 533-5770 or use our online contact form.

ESTATE PLANNING BUNDLE

We make the process easy for you while our attorneys carefully review your information and create documents catered to your wishes, unlike many quick-buy online wills.

Also, why settle for just a will when you can get complete peace of mind with our all-inclusive estate planning package? For a flat fee of $1,500, we provide:

Last Will and Testament: Ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
Medical Living Will: Make your healthcare preferences known and respected.
Durable Power of Attorney (POA): Designate someone to manage your financial affairs if you’re unable to do so.
Medical Power of Attorney (POA): Appoint a trusted person to make medical decisions on your behalf.

Beware of Bait and Switch Tactics!

Many attorneys advertise low will prep fees but don’t include essential documents like the living will and POAs, leading to unexpected costs.

With our flat fee, there are no surprises. You get everything you need to protect your loved ones and your legacy.

Contact Us Today

Take the first step towards comprehensive estate planning.

Navigating the Probate Process in Alabama and How to Avoid It

When a person passes away in Alabama, their estate often must go through a court-supervised process called probate. The purpose of probate is to validate the will, settle outstanding debts, and legally transfer assets to the beneficiaries. While essential, the probate process can be lengthy, costly, and public. This is why having a skilled Huntsville probate lawyer to guide you is so important. For many families, finding strategies to simplify or even avoid probate is a primary goal of effective estate planning.

One of the most powerful tools for bypassing probate is a Revocable Living Trust. By transferring ownership of key assets like your home or investments into a trust, they are no longer part of your probate estate. Upon your passing, your chosen trustee can distribute these assets directly to your beneficiaries according to your instructions. A probate attorney in Huntsville, AL, can help you create a trust and other planning documents to ensure your family saves significant time, money, and stress.

Planning for Incapacity with Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives

A thorough estate plan addresses more than just asset distribution after death; it also protects you if you become unable to make decisions for yourself due to illness or injury. This incapacity planning is a vital safeguard. Two of the most critical documents for this purpose in Alabama are:

Durable Power of Attorney: This document lets you appoint a trusted individual (your “agent”) to manage your financial matters if you become incapacitated. Your agent can handle everything from paying bills to managing accounts, ensuring your affairs remain in order.
Advance Directive for Health Care: This document, combining a living will and a health care power of attorney, outlines your wishes for medical treatment. It also designates a health care agent to make decisions on your behalf if you cannot.

By putting these documents in place now, you provide clear direction for your loved ones. Proper incapacity planning can prevent complex court proceedings and family disputes, ultimately simplifying the future work for your family and their probate lawyer.

Johnston Moore & Weston

120 Holmes Ave NE Suite 200
Huntsville AL 35801

(256) 533-5770 LOCAL (800) 240-5770 TOLL FREE

Johnston, Moore & Weston represents individuals throughout North Alabama in communities such as Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, Birmingham, Cullman, Gadsden, Anniston, Scottsboro, Athens, Fort Payne, Albertville, Boaz, Guntersville, Stevenson, Rainsville, Arab, Hartselle, Russellville, Muscle Shoals, Florence, Sheffield, Bridgeport and Moulton, as well as Madison County, Jackson County, Limestone County, DeKalb County, Marshall County, Morgan County, Cullman, Etowah, Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin and Lawrence County.

No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.