Pour-Over Wills in Red Boiling Springs

Begin with the will and the intended trust

If you already have a will and a trust, locate the complete signed documents and compare their names and dates. Check whether the will refers to the trust you currently intend to use, rather than assuming that any trust document in your files is the right match. If the documents appear to refer to different trusts, or you are unsure which version is current, flag that for review instead of trying to reconcile the language yourself.

Dale Law Group, PLLC offers pour-over wills and revocable living trusts. A planning conversation can consider how the documents fit together and whether updates should be discussed.

• Gather the will, the trust document and any later amendments or restatements you can locate.
• Note the names and dates shown on the documents, and mark any apparent differences.
• Write down who you understand to be responsible for carrying out each document; do not assume that a trustee, executor and agent under a power of attorney have interchangeable roles.

Compare document review with ownership review

A will-and-trust review answers a different question from a property-ownership review. The first asks whether the documents express the plan you intend. The second asks how particular property is currently titled and whether that ownership should be reviewed in light of the plan. A will reference alone does not tell you how an asset is titled today.

Make an asset list with the property description, the owner name shown on the most recent paperwork you have, and the document or institution where you found that information. Mark unknowns clearly. This is a preparation checklist, not a determination of ownership or a direction to transfer property.

• Separate real estate from financial accounts and other property; record the source of each ownership detail.
• For real estate, gather the deed or other ownership records you have and note any uncertainty about the current record.
• Ask which items warrant further ownership review, and whether any change should be considered before taking action.

Use local records information carefully

The UT CTAS directory lists a separate Macon County Register of Deeds contact at 201 Nature Trail Way, Suite E, Lafayette, TN 37083. The listed address may be a mailing address; confirm current instructions before visiting. A directory listing or recorded document does not, by itself, determine ownership, guarantee clear title or establish the appropriate next step.

This contact is a potential source of records information, not a substitute for deciding how a deed relates to your estate plan. Ask what record or document you need to review, and seek guidance before making a transfer or assuming that a court filing is necessary.

Prepare focused questions before deciding what to change

Bring the document comparison and asset list to your appointment. Ask whether the will identifies the intended trust, what additional information is needed to assess property ownership, and whether any documents should be updated. If you are unsure about a record, bring the record or note where it came from rather than filling gaps with assumptions.

Dale Law Group, PLLC serves clients in Tennessee from its Murfreesboro office. The firm offers estate-planning services including pour-over wills, revocable living trusts and probate administration.

• Does the will refer to the trust I intend to use?
• Which assets need ownership information checked, and what records would help?
• What should I understand about the difference between planning now and administration later?