WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A CONSERVATOR IN OREGON? What are the duties of a conservator? The purpose of this post is to summarize the duties of a conservator for a minor or incapacitated person. This list is a pretty good summary for conservators in the state of Oregon. However, specific duties do vary from …
WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A GUARDIAN IN OREGON? What are the duties of a guardian? There may be some specific differences from one jurisdiction to another, but in Oregon the following list is a pretty good summary. (If you have any questions about specific rights or duties involved in a guardianship, please ask a …
AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEBTS OF A DECEASED LOVED ONE? Am I responsible to pay the debts of a deceased loved one? When a person dies, the question of how their debts will be paid is one of the first things that come up. This only makes sense, as the people left behind try …
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WHAT ARE THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE’S FEES IN OREGON? What are the personal representative’s fees in Oregon? The short answer to this question is around two percent of the gross value of the estate. Often I am asked how much money a person gets paid for doing the work of a personal representative. This question usually …
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The short answer to this question is yes you can. You can get on the internet, use Google to find a form and write out a will and it might be valid. I practice law in Dallas, Oregon, a small town eleven miles West of Salem. We are a rural community and I think a lot of people here still have a little bit of the old pioneer mindset of self-reliance. This means that if they can do something on their own they prefer to do it that way. Also, I believe that many folks are trying to save money and think writing their own will is a good place to do it.
The short answer to that question is, it depends. The particular facts of a guardianship case can make significant differences in what the price for getting a guardian appointed will be.
Most people that are thinking about getting a will wonder how much it is going to cost. The answer is, it depends, but on average in Oregon it will cost somewhere between $1,000.00 and $1,500.00. I practice law in Dallas, Oregon and so on average what I charge is slightly less than this. In the Portland metropolitan area you may pay this amount or slightly more. Generally, if a married couple is getting a will done, the lawyer gives them a break on a two for one type basis. This estimate of the average price of a will is also based on the idea of a “simple” will, if you have a need for a will that plans for a less common situation such as a child with special needs that can affect the price as well.
Despite the encouragement of a host of professionals: financial planners, CPA’s, and lawyers like me, who advise people to get a will, most people die without one. The law calls an estate without a will, “intestate.” This doesn’t mean that probate isn’t required, it just means probate happens a different way. The purpose of probate is to make sure that the decedent’s creditors’ bills are paid and that the decedent’s left over money and property are distributed to their survivors.