Family affairs should be settled within members of the group but in many cases, the law will need to intervene especially when estates and assets are involved. As much as people try to avoid it, there really comes a time when family members get confrontational when it comes to getting what they think they deserve.
One of the most challenging parts of family management, once the head of the household dies, is the splitting of assets and estates. This is a complicated matter that often needs the work of a legal professional to complete. If you are facing an estate battle with your siblings or other relatives, then here are a few tips that might help you out.
The Will Is Everyone’s Best Guide
Chances are, your parents have left you and your siblings a will. The reason they left you this is because they want you and your siblings to handle the assets as properly as possible without any problems. In most cases, they will already contain everything that you and your siblings need to know when it comes to the estate.
Everyone is legally obligated to follow what the will dictates. However, there will be some cases when some won’t be happy with the distribution of the estate – thus they are going to make disputes. In cases like these, remember that the will itself is your best asset when it comes to the case.
Hire A Lawyer
Of course, when it comes to estate battles your best bet protecting your assets and interest is to have a lawyer of your own. When things get too heated up, you can expect your siblings to do the same so it’s only imperative that you come prepared as well.
Look for family lawyers that specialize directly in handling estate battles. There are many good Arizona estate litigation lawyers that you can find on the local bar directory. There are also quite a few formidable professionals that you can find online as well.
A good lawyer should be one with a lot of experience with regard to handling estate battles. Of course, you should also find a lawyer that isn’t in any way related to you or your siblings as this can result in conflicting interests when it comes to the legal proceedings.
Consider Selling Assets
Some of the things that you and your siblings are going to get out of the estate include property and material goods. You and your siblings might not readily agree on how best to distribute these items. One way to sort this pickle out is to sell the items and then split the proceeds accordingly.
This works because it’s a lot easier to split monetary value than it is to split the land, personal belongings, and other tangible items. A lot of estate battle disputes do get settled this way and hopefully, it helps resolve some of you and your sibling’s problems.
Don’t Let Other Problems Get Involved
Estate battles between family members can get really messy. However, during the hearing, the last thing you’d want to be doing is creating even more problems by bringing up personal issues between you and your siblings. Don’t ever let past problems get in the way of the estate battle.
The legal proceedings themselves will settle everything between you and your siblings. Understandably, things can get emotional during the hearings but never let your feelings get the best of you. Stay calm and let your lawyer do the work as they can best handle the case better than anyone else.
Talk It Out Personally First
Legal battles are not only time-consuming, they can be expensive too. Before you try any of the steps above, you should at least try to resolve things off-court with your siblings. It doesn’t always have to be a legal battle because it can be a really stressful time for everyone.
What you’d want to do is to hold a meeting between you and your siblings first. It could be over a meal or just a simple family gathering. Ask each other what you hope to get out of the estate and what’s written on your parent’s will. Try to find the grounds where everyone benefits from and where your siblings and yourself agree on.
Estate battles between siblings are often unavoidable but what’s important is that you know how to get through the problem with you getting what you deserve. Hopefully, these tips serve as a good guide on how you can resolve estate battles in the future.
