Estate Planning and Probate

Helping individuals and families prepare for the future, protect what they have built, and navigate the legal processes that accompany life’s most significant transitions.

Is This Your Situation?

Individuals and families come to Maher Legal for estate planning and probate matters at different moments. You may be in the right place if:

  • You do not yet have a will, trust, or power of attorney in place and want to put a plan together.
  • Your circumstances have changed, through marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of a family member, and your existing documents need to be updated.
  • A family member has died and you are responsible for administering their estate or navigating the probate process.
  • You are concerned about what will happen to your assets and your family if something happens to you.
  • You have been named as executor or personal representative of an estate and need guidance on what that role requires.
  • You are a service member or federal employee who wants to ensure that your beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, and estate documents are in order before a deployment or major life change.

How We Approach Estate Planning and Probate

Estate planning is one of the most personal areas of legal practice. The documents involved reflect decisions about family, finances, and the future that are deeply individual. The firm’s approach is to listen first, understand each client’s specific circumstances and goals, and develop a plan that reflects those priorities.

Joshua Houchins, the firm’s Legal Administrator, brings a professional background grounded in funeral service and estate administration at Maher Funeral Home. His experience working directly with families navigating probate matters, estate administration, and the legal processes that accompany loss gives the firm a practical and human understanding of what these transitions involve. That perspective informs how every estate planning and probate matter is handled.

For service members and federal employees, estate planning carries particular considerations: beneficiary designations on federal benefits and retirement accounts, Servicemembers Group Life Insurance coverage, and powers of attorney that remain effective during deployments. These are areas where planning ahead has direct practical consequences.

What We Help With

Wills

A will directs how your assets are distributed after your death, names an executor to administer your estate, and, critically for parents, designates a guardian for minor children. Without a will, state law determines how your estate is distributed, which may not reflect your wishes. A properly drafted and executed will ensures that your intentions are clear and legally enforceable.

Trusts

A revocable living trust allows assets to pass to beneficiaries outside of probate, which can reduce the time, cost, and public exposure of estate administration. Trusts can also provide for the management of assets for minor children or beneficiaries who may not be ready to manage an inheritance independently. The firm advises on whether a trust is appropriate given a client’s circumstances and, if so, what type of structure makes sense.

Powers of Attorney

A durable power of attorney designates someone to manage your financial affairs if you become unable to do so yourself. A healthcare power of attorney designates someone to make medical decisions on your behalf. These documents are among the most practically important in any estate plan. For service members preparing for deployment, ensuring these documents are in place before departure is essential.

Probate Administration

When someone dies, their estate must be administered: debts paid, assets identified and valued, and distributions made to beneficiaries. If the deceased had a will, the estate goes through the probate process under court supervision. The firm assists executors and personal representatives in navigating that process, from filing the initial petition through final distribution and closing of the estate.

Estate Planning Is Not Just for Later


Many people put off estate planning because it feels distant or complicated. The families who benefit most from having a plan in place are those who made time for it before it became urgent. We offer straightforward guidance and practical documents tailored to your situation, and we welcome the opportunity to speak with you.

Schedule a Consultation

You can also reach us by phone at (708) 468-8155.