Making a will can be an overwhelming task. A typical person will not know that his or her death is imminent. A will is the most basic, and valuable, of estate planning tools. It can specify who will inherit your bank accounts, real estate, jewelry, cars, and other property after you die. You can leave everything to one person or leave smaller portions to family or friends. A will can also be used to make charitable contributions or to specify funeral arrangements. Whatever your needs, we can create a will that works for you.
If you have a child, a will is much more than a means of distributing your property when you’re gone. For parents, making a will is the single most important thing you can do to make sure your child is cared for by the people you would choose if anything should happen to you. In your will you can designate a person to care for your child if you die before they become a legal adult. You can designate a property guardian or trustee to manage your money for your child until he or she reaches adulthood. You can either appoint one person to act as both personal and property guardian, or choose two people to carry out the separate roles.
Without a will, there’s no guarantee that when you die your money will go to the people you want or that your child will be cared for by the person you believe will do the best job. In Arkansas, if you die without a valid will, state law requires that your property be divided a certain way.