Who Will Manage Your Affairs When You No Longer Can?
Many Americans believe you only need a will if you have sufficient assets. This is a misunderstanding of how a will works. Anyone who owns anything, knows anyone, or has a family needs a will. In short, everyone needs one.
Seek the professional advice of a Portland Oregon wills probate attorney. Expert help can aid you in preparing your family for the inevitable. When you make these decisions without expert advice you may forget to think of important considerations.
Two of the more important decisions you will make in your will are establishing conservatorships and guardianships. A conservator is a person who manages the financial affairs of someone who cannot do so for themselves. A guardian is a person who manages the personal care and decision making of someone who cannot do so for themselves.
A conservator can be an individual, a bank, a trust, or a professional fiduciary. You can set up a conservatorship for yourself or for someone else, such as a child or disabled adult for whom you have financial responsibility, in the event of your incapacity or death.
A guardian makes decisions about issues such as where your children should live, medical decisions, nutrition, and other care. Guardians can be friends, family members, or someone else you trust to care for you, or someone you are responsible for, in the event you’re unable to do so.
In the Portland Oregon area it is wise to seek the professional advice of a Portland Oregon wills probate attorney. Expert help can aid you in preparing your family for the inevitable. When you make these decisions without expert advice you may forget to think of important considerations.
If a guardian is needed, the court decides who is best suited to assume that role. You can nominate guardians in order of preference in your advance directive or last will. In the event the court cannot find a suitable guardian, a neutral third party may be appointed. Setting up a conservatorship or guardianship is an important part of protecting your family, and will give you peace of mind knowing that when you can’t be there, they will be cared for.
