When a loved one passes away, one of the first legal questions families face is whether probate is required. Probate is the court process for handling someone’s estate after death. It may sound intimidating, but in Tennessee, it’s often a necessary step—and getting started sooner rather than later can save time, money, and stress.

Having a Power of Attorney is an important part of your estate plan, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. A Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you to name someone you trust to handle your financial and/or medical decisions if you are unable to make them yourself. Most people don’t know this, but Powers of Attorney only work while you’re alive—when you die, they essentially become null and void. A truly effective estate plan looks at the full picture—covering what happens during your lifetime and after you're death.

May is National Elder Law Month, which makes it the perfect time to talk about something many families put off until it is too late: planning for aging. Unfortunately, and no matter how hard we try to ignore it, we are all getting older. Elder law is about planning for the future—protecting your independence, your assets, and your ability to make choices, even if life brings the unexpected. Let’s break down what elder law really is and why it matters.