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Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, beneficiary decisions, probate, and practical planning for Arizona families.
THE LIBRARY
107 published articles
Summary (TLDR): If you die without a will in Arizona, state intestacy laws determine who inherits and who manages your estate. These rules often produce outcomes families do not expect and almost always require probate, court involvement, and added…
Read the articleI just published a new YouTube video: What Is a Beneficiary Deed in Arizona? A beneficiary deed in Arizona allows a homeowner to name who will receive their property when they pass away, without going through probate. In this video, I explain how…
Read the articleSummary (TLDR): Arizona probate costs include court fees, attorney fees, personal representative compensation, and administrative expenses. Even simple estates incur costs, and disputes, real estate, and poor planning can significantly increase the total…
Read the articleI just published a new YouTube video: Does Your Spouse Automatically Make Medical Decisions in Arizona? In Arizona, your spouse does not automatically have unlimited authority to make medical decisions for you. Doctors are required to obtain informed…
Read the articleI just published a new YouTube video: What Happens If You Don’t Have a Health Care Power of Attorney in Arizona? If you do not have a health care power of attorney in Arizona, medical providers must follow Arizona’s default decision-maker statute under…
Read the articleI just published a new YouTube video: 4 Ways Property Passes After Someone Dies When someone dies, property doesn’t all pass the same way. The most common paths are trusts, beneficiary designations, joint ownership, and probate. How it’s titled matters…
Read the articleSummary (TLDR): Adding a child to your deed in Arizona creates an immediate transfer of ownership, not an inheritance. This can expose the home to taxes, creditor claims, and loss of control, making it a risky shortcut in most cases. Many families ask…
Read the articleI just published a new YouTube video: Estate Plan Changes After You Move If you’ve recently moved to Arizona, don’t assume your estate plan automatically works here. In this video, Arizona estate planning attorney Anjali Patel walks through the most common…
Read the articleSummary (TLDR): In Arizona, non-probate assets transfer automatically through survivorship rights, beneficiary designations, and trust ownership, regardless of what a will says. Without proper coordination, these assets can override estate plans and create…
Read the articleSummary (TLDR): When you move to a new state, your will, trust, and powers of attorney do not automatically adapt to your new state’s laws. Even if your documents were legally valid where they were signed, they may not function as intended once you…
Read the articleI just published a new YouTube video: I Have a Trust — Do I Still Need a Will? (Yes, and Here’s Why) If you already have a trust, do you really still need a will? Short answer: yes. In this video, Arizona estate planning attorney Anjali Patel explains why…
Read the articleI just published a new YouTube video: You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out to Start an Estate Plan You don’t need to have every decision figured out before you start an estate plan. That hesitation is the biggest reason people never start. Estate…
Read the articleSHORT-FORM LEGAL EDUCATION