Wills and estates
Wills, estates and the family farm
A plan that says who gets the house, the land and the say, written so your family can follow it without guessing.
Wills and powers of attorney
A will, a financial power of attorney and a health care directive, signed together.
Passing on the farm
Who farms it, who owns it, and how the ones who leave are treated fairly.
Settling an estate
Filing the will, notifying the bank and the county, and closing the estate step by step.
Trusts
For a child who shouldn’t inherit all at once, or land you want kept together.
How it usually goes
From the first talk to the signing
- 01
We listen first
An hour at the office or your table, about your family and what you own. No forms yet.
- 02
You read a draft
We send plain drafts and a one-page summary, then go through them with you.
- 03
Everyone signs
With witnesses and a notary, at the office or wherever you are.
Wills and estates, asked across the table
Do I need a will if everything is in both our names?
Often yes. Joint ownership covers the first death, not the second, and it doesn’t name a guardian for children or say who decides if you can’t.
Can the farm stay in one piece?
Usually, with planning. We look at who wants to farm, what the land is worth and what the others should receive, and write it down before anyone has to argue about it.
Someone in my family has died. Where do I start?
Bring the will if you have it, a death certificate and the last few bank statements. We’ll tell you what has to happen first and what can wait.