Writing a will is something that everyone should do. It benefits the family immensely and brings peace of mind to the person on their final days, who will have a guarantee that their loved ones are being taken care of, as well as their assets.
There are countless matters that can be addressed in a will, and a lawyer can help put it all on paper. In fact, having a wills lawyer nearby can be a great idea if you are uncertain about how an inventory process might go, or in case of an emergency.
So why is it necessary to have a wills lawyer in an emergency? Here are some reasons.
Write a Will in an Emergency
Having a wills lawyer as a close contact can put an ease to the family, as they will get all of the support needed to go through the more bureaucratic parts of saying goodbye to a loved one.
Not only that, but the lawyer will also take the part to collect information about all of the client’s assets. That includes bank accounts, real estate, automobiles, investments and so on. Doing so helps keep the inventory organised before they sign the final document, and saves the testator’s time—a precious thing to have in times of anguish.
Emergency Changes
Many people will write their last wishes years before their death when their assets were significantly different, and leave their family wondering what to do. Maybe their loved one would want the new house to go to their children, or maybe they wouldn’t want that business partner to have the company anymore: all of those doubts can lead to disputes that will slow down the process of inventory and cause further pain to the family.
Having a wills lawyer on standby in case of emergencies can be a quick way to solve future problems. The legal team can make amendments to the will or even rewrite it from scratch during an emergency, so the testator does not need to worry about correcting the terms to reflect the current reality.
Neutral Personal Representative
After the author of the will has passed away, comes the need for reading their testament. Although it should not be hard to find a wills lawyers in Calgary, it is important that the heirs are familiarised with the personal representative who executed the will.
The duties of such an individual begin before death and end after it. They are responsible for the will’s administration, from paying off debts to locating the beneficiaries, and so their role is quite important.
It is not uncommon that the person reading the will—and later on distributing the assets to the family and friends—is also a close relative of the deceased, but those scenarios can cause conflicts in the household.
The lawyer would be a third party who stands neutral in the administration and whose sole purpose is to mediate the family and distribute the assets of the will. In cases of emergencies, where a person has died suddenly, the presence of a lawyer is even more needed, as there may not be a testament at all to work with.
To avoid conflicts, the lawyer should make sure to get to know everyone among the beneficiaries, and read the will or administrate the wealth accordingly to their needs, explaining the procedure and trying to keep the peace.
Disputes
Even after all efforts, disputes can still happen because of a last will and testament. All over the world, there are people who have lost contact with their relatives due to disagreements that rose from a loved one’s will, and in most of those cases, it all comes down to the distribution of wealth. Two scenarios can come from this: Either you feel entitled to a part of the assets that were promised to you or that you wanted and did not make it to the terms of the will, or there is someone else in your family trying to get the ownership of the part of the inventory that is rightfully yours.
In broader terms, what it means is that either you want to dispute the will and get a bigger share for yourself, or you need to defend your part from others. In any of those cases, an emergency wills lawyer can be your best ally.
They will review the testament for you and try to mediate the conflict between both parties. Hopefully, they will be able to solve your issues fast and easy, but if there is no possibility for settlement, then they can always use legal instruments to make your best interests met. When talking about testaments, time is of the essence, and having a lawyer to assist you can save you a lot of time and money.
Beyond the will
Lastly, a wills lawyer can always help you beyond the will. Very rarely a person with legal knowledge will only take one kind of case or work solely with writing and managing wills. So you may take your time to ask your lawyer about other matters that you wish to have solved before your death.
An example of extra aid that you can ask of your lawyer is dealing with health and life insurance.
It can be a lengthy process to try to negotiate with them or have your needs met, and a legal expert can navigate through all of the details of policies, beneficiaries, premium amounts, etc.
Lawyers that work with last wills and testaments are here to help you and your family during hard times. Their services are a valuable tool to have and that will help you overcome the suffering of a loss with as little stress as possible.
