Thorough Cranston Wills Attorney Helping You Plan

Serving Warwick, North Kingstown and Coventry, RI

A will is a written legal instrument that gives you the ability to choose your heirs, name an executor of your estate, select a guardian for your young children and determine how your estate will be handled after your death. Without a valid, legally binding will to direct the management of your property, you leave these crucial decisions to the state. With 30 years of experience, Kerry I. Rafanelli, Attorney at Law can strategize an estate plan that includes drafting a valid last will and testament, creating your advance healthcare directive and establishing a durable power of attorney who can manage your estate if illness or injury prevents you from doing so.

Why write a will

You are not required to leave a will to distribute your assets. All of your property may be held in trusts or as tenants by the entirety, for example, that have their own rights of succession. Otherwise, intestate laws dictate how your property is distributed to your spouse, children or next of kin. Possibly, your family situation is such that the intestate laws would distribute your property to the very person or people you want. However, a last will is usually a vital document to ensure your wishes are met after your death. We advise you on using a will as an estate planning tool to:

  • Protect your family's financial future
  • Distribute assets to friends who are not family members
  • Establish guardianship for your minor children
  • Name a guardian for your pet and provide financial means for its care
  • Support a charity or cause
  • Leave items of sentimental value to specific beneficiaries

Adjusting for life's changes

Although a last will never expires, changes in your life may affect how you choose to distribute your property after your death. Divorce, marriage, the death or birth of a loved one, or substantial financial gain or loss are examples of typical changed circumstances that might trigger your decision to amend your last will. To make minor changes to your will, we draft an amendment -- called a codicil. A codicil adds or revokes specific provisions of your original will, both of which are probated together. If you require numerous changes, we execute a new last will that replaces your existing document, in which case the probate court adheres to the terms of your new will.

Learn more from an experienced last wills lawyer in East Greenwich, RI

Consult an experienced East Greenwich attorney to guide you through planning and drafting your will. Call Kerry I. Rafanelli, Attorney at Law or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.