Compassion in difficult times

Probate is the legal process used to settle the personal property and real estate issues of a deceased person. Nancy Ridgway is a north Dallas, Texas attorney who will probate the Wills and Estates of your beloved family members. Experience and reputation counts for everything in the probate courts. I have extensive experience and knowledge of probating Estates of a deceased who died Intestate (without a Will), through everything from Dependent Administration to Small Estate Affidavit. If you have a Will to Probate, I have a streamlined procedure to facilitate that process, in order to minimize time and legal expenses.

Estate Planning is a legal process used to protect your property from a variety of unknowns. Do you have assets that you want protected from creditors or from a family member who cannot manage money? Do you have underage children that will need special protection and for whom you want to provide for so that they are ensured of financial security and a college education, or a startup in setting up a business. I can help you tailor Estate documents to fit your needs. In addition to simple Wills, I may prepare Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care, for Business or Personal Property assets, Directives to Physicians/Living Wills, and Designations of Guardianship over the person (and children) or the property of the Estate. If your Estate is of sufficient size, perhaps a Will with pour over provisions into a Trust is more appropriate for your situation. If your Estate exceeds Federal Estate taxation guidelines, I can help you set up a Trust that can defer and reduce the amount of debt owed by your Estate. To the extent that assets are held in a Trust will often keep them private, or out of the public eye. If made irrevocable, the assets are protected from creditors in most cases.

Do you know a senior citizen that has no family to turn to? I often work with seniors, even visiting assisted living centers and nursing homes, to help them plan how to settle their Estate.

I will assist you with your Probate, Estate Planning and other Estate needs in Dallas, Collin and Tarrant Counties.