Questions, answered
in plain language.

An estate plan is a set of instructions for what should happen to your property and your dependents. It can cover both financial and personal matters. A will can say how your property is distributed after you die, and a power of attorney can appoint someone to make financial decisions for you if you become incapacitated.

Estate planning is a concern for adults of all ages, not only senior adults. An up-to-date plan can reduce stress for you and your loved ones during a difficult time and helps make sure your wishes are known.

Sometimes, but a will only does certain things. It is a set of instructions for probate, so it usually does not avoid court. It has no legal effect while you are alive, and it does not control assets that pass by beneficiary designation. A will may fall short when privacy matters, when you own real estate in more than one state, when minor children or a blended family are involved, or when you own a business.

Depending on your goals, a plan may include a will, a trust, powers of attorney, health care documents such as an advance directive and HIPAA authorization, beneficiary updates, deeds, business planning, written guidance for your family and ongoing maintenance.

Often it does not. Life insurance, retirement accounts, payable-on-death and transfer-on-death accounts, jointly owned property and other beneficiary-designated assets pass according to their own paperwork. If a designation is outdated or inconsistent with your will, the designation usually controls, which is why beneficiary designations and asset titles need to be coordinated with your plan.

Probate is the court-supervised process for proving a will, appointing the personal representative or executor, identifying assets, notifying creditors, paying valid debts and expenses, and distributing what remains to the beneficiaries. It is generally a public process.

A trust lets you specify how the assets in it will be managed and distributed. It can be set up during your lifetime or at death. A trust-based plan can help keep administration more private, manage funds for children or beneficiaries who need protection, and coordinate real estate owned in more than one state under one plan.

An executor is the person named in your will to carry out your wishes. If someone dies without a will, the court appoints an administrator, who manages the estate according to state law. Both report to the probate court.

A court-appointed administrator manages your estate through probate, and your assets are distributed according to the laws of the state rather than your own wishes.

Yes. Our services include trust settlements and probate, and we can help the people responsible for an estate or trust understand and carry out their duties.

Our business counsel services include business formation, dispute resolution, risk management, 1099 General Counsel™, contract drafting, dissolution and transition planning for small and mid-sized businesses.

It depends on your goals and business plan. Common Tennessee options include LLCs, limited liability partnerships, sole proprietorships, general partnerships and corporations, and they differ in owner liability, taxes and formal requirements. We discuss the options with you and help you decide how to move forward.

Yes. Our transition services cover readiness assessment, plan design and plan execution, including risks such as consulting agreements, the effect of the transfer on personnel and handling current inventory.

Yes. We connect with our clients' trusted advisers, including CPAs and financial planners, so that all of your advisers are working from the same page.

Our office is at 620 Lindsay Street, Suite 220, Chattanooga, TN 37403.

4Sight Legal Services represents clients throughout Tennessee, including families and businesses across Chattanooga and Southeast Tennessee.

Call our Chattanooga office at 423-305-1704 or send us a message through the contact form.

COREnology is a set of short assessments offered through our partnership with COREnology.com. They help you and your spouse or life partner identify your core values, beliefs and goals. We offer complimentary COREvalues™ and COREpriorities™ reports as a first step, then help you interpret the results and use them as the starting point for a values-centered estate or legacy plan.

No. Calling, emailing or sending the contact form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send confidential or time-sensitive information through the form. The information on this site is general information, not legal advice.