Not Having a Plan Is a Plan. Just Not One You Chose.
You’ve been meaning to do this. Most people have. Here’s a place to finally get it done, clearly, simply, and at a price that makes sense for your family.
You Already Know Why This Matters.
You have people who depend on you. A home. Children. Maybe aging parents. Things worth protecting, things that could become complicated very quickly if something happened to you unexpectedly.
Estate planning isn’t planning for the worst. It’s making sure the people you love don’t have to figure things out without you. I handle simple estate planning for working and middle-class families in Blount County and across East Tennessee. No complex trust structures, no specialist fees, no making you feel like you need a 40-page document and a legal team. Just the right documents, done correctly, at a clear price.
What’s Included
Wills
Who receives your property. Who raises your children if something happens to you. Written clearly and executed properly so there’s no room for dispute later.
Powers of Attorney
Who makes financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to. Without one, even the people closest to you may not be able to act for you, even in an emergency.
Conservatorship
When a court appoints someone to manage the finances and legal affairs of an adult who is unable to do so themselves, typically an aging parent or someone who has become incapacitated.
Guardianship
When a court appoints someone to make personal decisions for a person who cannot make them independently, whether a minor child or an incapacitated adult.
What Happens in Tennessee If You Don’t Have One
Most people assume their spouse or family will handle things if something happens. In Tennessee, that assumption is wrong.
Dying without a will triggers a legal process called intestate succession, and the state decides who gets what, not you.
Here is what that looks like in practice:
If you are married with children, your assets do not automatically pass to your spouse. Tennessee’s intestate succession laws divide the estate between your spouse and your children. Depending on the number of children, your spouse may receive less than half of what you owned together. This applies even to the family home.
If you have minor children and no will, a court appoints a guardian for those children. That may or may not be the person you would have chosen. The court also appoints someone to manage any assets left to the minor children, a process that requires ongoing court oversight and carries its own costs.
If you have a blended family, the outcome under intestate succession is often nothing like what you intended. Step-children have no inheritance rights without a will. Half-siblings are treated differently than full siblings. The people you actually wanted to provide for may receive nothing.
None of this requires a dramatic situation or an untimely death. It requires only that you never got around to it.
A simple will for a working family with children, a home, and ordinary assets costs less than one day’s attorney fees in a contested estate dispute. The math is not complicated.
Going Through a Divorce? Update Your Documents.
If you’re in the middle of a divorce, or recently finalized one, your existing will, power of attorney, and beneficiary designations almost certainly still name your ex. This is a problem that doesn’t announce itself until it’s too late. I handle both. If you’re already working with me on a family law matter, ask about updating your estate documents at the same time.
Clear, Flat-Fee Pricing
- Standalone will: from $500 ($800 for reciprocal wills, a matched pair for married couples)
- Power of Attorney: flat fee from $300
Most families need more than one document. I offer a complete set: Will, Power of Attorney, and Advance Healthcare Directive, for a flat $1,000. It’s the most common choice and closes the gaps any single document leaves open.
Explore Estate Planning
Finally Get It Done
Simple, flat-fee estate planning for East Tennessee families. Let’s protect the people you love.