Murfreesboro Estate Planning Lawyer
Estate Planning Lawyer Murfreesboro, TN
If you have been putting off creating a will, setting up a trust, or naming a power of attorney, you are not alone. Most people in Murfreesboro know these documents matter. They just haven’t gotten around to it yet, or they’re not sure what the process actually looks like.
Patterson Bray PLLC has more than 20 years of experience helping Tennessee families plan for the future. Our Murfreesboro, TN estate planning lawyer can walk you through your options and build a plan that fits your family, your assets, and your goals. We offer free consultations for estate planning matters, and we are ready to help you take this step.
Why Choose Patterson Bray PLLC for Estate Planning in Murfreesboro, TN?
Decades of Focused Estate Planning Experience
Larry R. Bray concentrates his entire practice in estate planning, post-death administration, asset protection, and charitable planned giving. He counsels clients on wills, trusts, trust administration, business succession, and tax-related planning. Larry earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, cum laude, from the University of Memphis and his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He is admitted to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, Wyoming, New York, and the United States Tax Court. He is a member of WealthCounsel, LLC, the Memphis Estate Planning Council, and the Planned Giving Council of Greater Memphis.
Lindsay A. Jones also concentrates her practice in estate planning, trust administration, asset protection, charitable giving, and business formation. Lindsay graduated from the University of Memphis School of Law and Fogelman College of Business with a J.D.M.B.A., cum laude, where she received the Herbert Herff Trustees Full Tuition Scholarship and the Dean’s Award for Best Appellate Brief. She is admitted in Tennessee and Mississippi and currently serves as President of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Memphis.
As an estate planning lawyer in Murfreesboro, TN, Patterson Bray brings the kind of focused, daily experience that general practice firms simply cannot match.
Proven Results in Estate and Trust Matters
Our attorneys have handled estate and trust matters involving millions of dollars. Larry Bray structured a construction company sale so that $20 million of the $30 million sales price would transfer estate tax-free to the family. He has also helped a contractor protect $7 million in assets from subsequent creditors through an asset protection plan, and he facilitated the tax-free transfer of a $30 million estate to heirs using gifting strategies to irrevocable trusts prior to the sale of a national company.
These are not hypothetical scenarios. They are actual matters handled by our firm.
Client-Centered Planning for Every Stage of Life
Estate planning is not one-size-fits-all. A 35-year-old couple with young children in Murfreesboro needs something very different from a retired business owner looking to protect generational wealth. We adjust our approach based on your family circumstances, asset structure, and long-term priorities.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I am extremely pleased with the whole process of learning about wills and trusts with a no charge consultation, then going through the process of completing my will and trust.” — Mitzie Wright
Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Types of Estate Planning Services We Handle in Murfreesboro
Patterson Bray provides a full range of estate planning services. Below are the primary areas we cover for Murfreesboro, TN clients.
- Wills. A properly drafted will controls how your assets are distributed after death. Without one, Tennessee intestacy laws decide for you, and the outcome may not reflect your wishes at all.
- Trusts. Revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and special needs trusts each serve different purposes. Trusts can help your family avoid probate, reduce tax exposure, and protect assets for future generations.
- Probate. When a loved one passes, someone has to manage the estate through probate. We guide personal representatives through every step, from filing the petition to distributing assets and closing the estate.
- Power of attorney. A durable power of attorney allows someone you trust to handle your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. Without one, your family may need to petition for a conservatorship, which costs time and money.
- Healthcare directives. Advance directives and healthcare powers of attorney let you make your medical wishes known before a crisis happens. These documents work together to give your designated agent authority to act on your behalf.
- Asset protection planning. Tennessee offers specific tools, including the Tennessee Investment Services Trust Act, that can shield certain assets from future creditors while keeping you in control.
- Business succession planning. If you own a business, your estate plan needs to address what happens to it when you retire, become incapacitated, or pass away. We help business owners structure transitions that minimize disruption and tax consequences.
- Charitable planned giving. For clients who want to include charitable giving in their estate plan, we structure gifts in ways that maximize the benefit to both the charity and the donor’s estate.
Tennessee Legal Requirements for Estate Planning
Under T.C.A. § 32-1-104, a written will (other than a holographic will) must be signed by the testator in the presence of at least two witnesses, and the witnesses must sign in the presence of both the testator and each other. Tennessee does recognize holographic wills, meaning wills written entirely in the testator’s own handwriting, but these carry significant risks because they often lack the safeguards that formal execution provides.
If someone dies without a valid will, T.C.A. § 31-2-104 dictates how property is distributed. If the deceased had a surviving spouse and children, the spouse receives either one-third or a child’s share of the intestate estate, whichever is greater. The remainder passes to the children equally. If there are no children, the surviving spouse inherits everything. These default rules rarely match what people actually want.
Tennessee also follows the Uniform Durable Power of Attorney Act under T.C.A. § 34-6-101 through § 34-6-112. A durable power of attorney remains effective even after the principal becomes incapacitated, which is the whole point of having one. But the document has to be drafted correctly to achieve that result.
For healthcare decisions, the Tennessee Health Care Decisions Act (T.C.A. § 68-11-1801 et seq.) allows individuals to designate a healthcare agent through an advance directive. The state provides a standardized form, but many families benefit from having an attorney review the document to confirm it covers their specific circumstances.
Probate matters in Rutherford County are handled through the County Clerk’s office and the Chancery Court. The process includes filing a petition, appointing a personal representative, notifying creditors, and ultimately distributing assets according to the will or intestacy statute. How long this takes depends on the size and complexity of the estate.
Important Aspects of an Estate Planning Case in Murfreesboro
Choosing the Right Type of Trust
Not every family needs a trust, but many do. A revocable living trust allows you to maintain control of your assets during your lifetime while avoiding probate after death. An irrevocable trust removes assets from your taxable estate, which can be critical for families with substantial wealth. Picking the wrong structure, or drafting it poorly, creates problems that are expensive to fix later.
Naming Beneficiaries Correctly
One of the most common mistakes in estate planning is failing to coordinate beneficiary designations with your will or trust. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and payable-on-death accounts all pass outside of probate according to their beneficiary forms. If those forms conflict with your will, the beneficiary designation wins. We see this issue regularly, and it is entirely preventable with proper planning.
Selecting a Trustee or Personal Representative
The person you choose as trustee or executor carries real legal responsibility. They will manage assets, pay debts, file tax returns, and distribute property. Naming someone who is unprepared or unwilling creates delays and conflict. We help clients think through this decision carefully, including whether a corporate trustee might be appropriate for larger or more complex estates.
Planning for Minor Children
Parents with young children need to designate a guardian in their will. Without that designation, a court will decide who raises your children, and the court’s choice may not be the person you would have selected. Beyond guardianship, we help parents set up trusts for minor beneficiaries so that assets are managed responsibly until children reach an age where they can handle inheritance on their own. A common approach is staggered distributions at specific ages rather than a lump sum at 18.
Addressing Digital Assets
Your estate plan should account for online accounts, digital files, cryptocurrency, and other digital assets. Tennessee law allows you to include provisions for digital asset access in your estate plan. Without those provisions, your family may be locked out of accounts or unable to manage online property after your death.
Keeping Your Estate Plan Current
An estate plan is not a document you sign once and forget. Major life events like marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a significant change in assets, or a move to a new state all require updates. We recommend clients review their plans at least every three to five years. You can find additional guidance on our page about updating your estate plan.
Contact Patterson Bray PLLC
If you need an estate planning attorney in Murfreesboro, TN, Patterson Bray PLLC offers free consultations for estate planning matters. We will review your situation, explain your options, and help you understand what a plan should include based on your specific circumstances. Whether you need a simple will or a more involved trust and asset protection strategy, we can help.
Contact us to schedule a consultation. Our attorneys serve clients throughout Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, and the greater Middle Tennessee area.