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Practice Areas
Choosing the right attorney
Preparing a Will or a Trust to meet your family’s needs may seem like an overwhelming task, but with the right lawyer it doesn’t have to be. Having the right estate plan in place is the last gift you can provide to your family. Jay Benson can help create a plan designed to minimize administrative costs after your death and to properly plan to reduce or eliminate estate tax liability.
Not every client requires the same plan. At the initial consultation, Jay Benson will take the time necessary to learn about your situation and provide options for how to best achieve your estate planning goals. Mr. Benson will explain your options in straightforward terms and he will provide sensible advice.
You deserve compassionate service during difficult times. Our firm is committed to supporting clients when a loved one passes, by assiting in transfers of property from a trust or assisting in navigating the probate process.
Legal Practice Areas
Estate Planning
An estate plan is a set of documents that protects your interests and your loved ones in the event of your death or a debilitating condition. Without at least a basic will, family members would be faced with difficult decisions, and the state of Minnesota would determine who inherits your property.
Wills and Trusts
Did you know the State of Minnesota has already prepared a will for those who have not made their own will? A person who dies without a will is subject to the Minnesota Statutes of Intestate Succession that determines who would inherit your property and who would have priority as Personal Representative.
Our individualized estate planning services will ensure that your plan will be put into effect after your passing, rather than the State’s plan.
Some of our clients choose an estate plan that features a Revocable Living Trust, designed to eliminate the need for a probate administration after the client’s death.
Clients are presented with options at their free initial consultations and will be provided with the information to make planning choices that suit their family’s needs.
Probate
When a Minnesota resident passes away, any property that is in their name at the time of death, other than joint accounts or accounts with named beneficiaries, needs to go through the probate process in the District Court. As part of the process, the Court will appoint a Personal Representative (Executor) with authority to gather the assets of the estate and make distribution to the beneficiaries, under the supervision of the Court.
Our firm can provide strategies for avoiding the need for a probate upon death. When a probate administration is necessary, our firm will help you efficiently navigate the probate process.
