Wills Archives - Michael Bailey Law, LLC

What You Need to Know About Planning Your Funeral and Your Estate Plan in Colorado

Years ago, I had a potential client call me in a panic. Apparently their uncle had written instruction into the uncle’s will that upon the uncle’s death, he wanted to be cremated and have his ashes scattered on the grounds of the Denver Botanic Gardens. The problem was that the Denver Botanic Gardens do not allow ashes to be scattered on the … [Read more...]

If I Have a Will, Does That Mean My Family Avoids Probate?

The short answer to this question is NO! A will does not avoid probate. Probate is actually the legal process designed to implement wills and get the assets of the deceased person to the named beneficiaries. The probate process is exactly how a will is supposed to be proved, carried out, and administered. However, having a will does help with … [Read more...]

Why It Is Important To Not Rush Your Will

I recently found out that August is national make your will month. I did not know that was a thing until recently, but now I know. I am not going to tell you to get your will done this month, as that would be silly and definitely be rushing things, and we don’t want to rush! The ten-time national championship and all-time great UCLA … [Read more...]

Yes, You Need a Will, but is That the ONLY Thing You Need?

I take a lot of calls from people who want to tell me about their wills. They will talk about how their will does one thing or another, but often they are mixing and matching the will with other estate planning documents. I suspect many times people keep all their estate planning documents together in one folder, binder, or location, and that … [Read more...]

You Know You Need a Will, but You Don’t Know Where to Start? Start by Reading This!

I get a lot of questions from people about how to start the process of setting up a will. I often inquire as to whether they want to start the process of drafting a will, or whether they are asking about what type of decisions go into a will and what they should be thinking about as they start a will. The answer to starting drafting a will is … [Read more...]

How Do You Put Your House Into A Living Trust?

This question seems like an easy one to answer. To transfer your house into a Living Trust, you want to prepare a deed to transfer ownership of the house from you into the trust. In Colorado, you can use a Quitclaim Deed, Warranty Deed, General Warranty Deed, or a Special Warranty Deed to transfer ownership into the trust. Once you have properly … [Read more...]

Supporting Worthy Causes in Your Will or Trust…on Colorado Gives Day

For the past few years, my church has set up “Giving Machines” along the 16th Street Mall in Downtown Denver between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The “Giving Machines” are like vending machines that allow people to purchase items or services for those in need. A person can purchase food for a poor family, or socks, shoes, or other items to be … [Read more...]

Why Your Estate Plan Will Work (in Colorado) Even If Someone Doesn’t Like It

My wife likes to talk about love languages, and how everybody’s love language can be different. Some people want physical affection, while others prefer gifts, and still others want you to spend time with them. I am not nearly as into the differences in love languages as she is, or as some people are, but I did get an interesting, almost … [Read more...]

How Do I Leave My Car to My Family After I Die?

I have several clients who restore old cars, usually classic cars, and then either keep them, or sell them to other collectors. They often want to leave the car to their family and ask me, “How do I leave my car to my family after I die?” These really are some neat cars, so I understand wanting to keep the cars in the family. I have seen some … [Read more...]

Colorado Residents: Benefits Of Working With A Local Estate Planning Attorney

As I drive around the Denver Metro Area, I see the bumper stickers that say “Native” on them. I have also seen variations that say “Not Native, But I Got Here As Quick As I Can,” or “Almost Native.” I fall into the “Not a Native, But I Got Here As Quick As I Can” category. I was born in Portland, Oregon, and I lived there with my family for … [Read more...]