Estate Planning and Business Formation in Memphis, Tennessee

Choose the question you are bringing

For planning ahead, consider which documents and decisions need attention: a will or trust, financial authority for someone to act on your behalf, or instructions about healthcare. These documents address different matters. A financial power of attorney concerns authority to act for another person; a Tennessee advance directive addresses a healthcare agent or alternate and healthcare preferences. One should not be treated as a substitute for the other.

For an existing matter, first identify whether it concerns probate administration, trust administration, or property records. The appropriate next step depends on the matter and the people or property involved; a directory listing by itself does not establish whether a proceeding is needed or which office has authority. If your question is business formation, focus instead on the proposed business and whether you are considering an LLC, corporation, or partnership.

Make a practical first-meeting map

Before the conversation, write a short note with three parts: what decision or problem prompted you to seek help, what you hope to resolve, and what is already in place. Then gather only the records connected to that question. This helps distinguish future planning from administration of an existing estate or trust, and both from a new-business formation decision.

• Planning ahead: list existing wills or trust documents, the people named for financial or healthcare roles, and questions about the scope or limits of those roles.
• Estate or trust matter: note whether a court or trustee is already involved, identify the person who has been communicating with you, and collect relevant notices and documents.
• Property question: identify the property address and county shown in the records, and bring the document or correspondence that prompted the question.
• Business formation: write down the proposed name, owners or participants, and the entity types you want to compare.

Memphis and Shelby County resources

Memphis is an incorporated or consolidated municipality within Shelby County. The city’s municipal directory profile is a municipal-information resource; it is not the law firm’s office and does not establish court jurisdiction. The firm’s only office is in Murfreesboro, and no additional Memphis office is identified.

For Shelby County information, UT CTAS lists separate contacts for the Probate Court Clerk and the Clerk & Master. These roles are not interchangeable, and a contact listing alone does not determine the right venue, filing, or whether a proceeding is necessary. The UT CTAS Registers of Deeds directory separately lists a Shelby County land-record contact at 1075 Mullins Station Road, Suite W165, Memphis. Directory addresses may be mailing or contact addresses, so confirm current location and instructions before visiting. A recorded document or directory entry does not by itself determine ownership or clear title.

Clarify roles and the next question

When another person is involved, identify the role and the document that gives it authority. An agent under a power of attorney, a court-appointed guardian or conservator, a trustee, and a government-appointed benefit fiduciary are distinct roles. The scope, duration, and limits of a power of attorney matter; do not assume it grants every power. For healthcare planning, Tennessee’s advance directive form addresses an agent or alternate and healthcare preferences, with instructions about signing and sharing copies. For the first conversation, ask which decision is still open, what authority or responsibilities are involved, and what additional records would help assess the next step.