Estate Planning Attorney in Conway and Lonoke, Arkansas

Plan for the people you love, the decisions that matter, and the property you have worked to build.

Estate planning is not simply about preparing for death. It is about making thoughtful decisions now so that the people you trust have guidance and appropriate authority when they need it.

A well-coordinated estate plan can address who may make financial or healthcare decisions for you, who you would want to care for your minor children, how your property should be handled, and what should happen to your business or other responsibilities if you cannot manage them yourself.

Attorney Tasha Terry works directly with individuals, families, and small-business owners in Conway, Lonoke, and throughout Central Arkansas to create practical estate plans based on their actual lives, concerns, property, and goals.

Your Today. Their Tomorrow.

Estate Planning Is More Than a Will

A will is an important part of many estate plans, but it may be only one part of a complete plan.

Estate planning may involve preparing legal documents, reviewing how property is owned, examining beneficiary designations, selecting trusted decision-makers, and coordinating arrangements for family members or business interests.

Depending on your circumstances, an estate plan may include:

A last will and testament
A revocable trust
A durable financial power of attorney
A healthcare power of attorney
An advance directive
A HIPAA authorization
Nominations of guardians for minor children
Beneficiary-designation planning
Asset-ownership and titling considerations
Planning for digital assets
Business succession planning
Directions concerning final wishes

Not everyone needs the same documents or planning structure. Tasha helps clients understand their choices and develop a plan suited to their particular family, property, and priorities.

Who Needs an Estate Plan?

Estate planning is not reserved for wealthy families or older adults. If you have people you love, property you have worked to acquire, or strong preferences about who should make decisions for you, planning can be valuable at almost any stage of adulthood.

You should consider creating or reviewing an estate plan if you:

Own a home or other real property
Have children or grandchildren
Have minor children and want to nominate guardians
Have a blended family
Want to choose who may handle your financial affairs
Want to choose who may make healthcare decisions for you
Own a business
Have a family member with special needs
Want to provide for a church, charity, friend, or unmarried partner
Have recently married or divorced
Have experienced a birth or death in the family
Have moved to Arkansas
Have acquired or sold significant property
Have an older plan that may no longer reflect your circumstances
Have beneficiary designations that have not been reviewed recently

Even when a person's property and family circumstances seem straightforward, the absence of clear documents can leave loved ones with uncertainty at an already difficult time.

Planning for Incapacity

An estate plan should address more than what happens after death. It should also consider what may happen if an accident, illness, or cognitive condition prevents you from managing your own affairs.

Without effective planning, family members may be uncertain about who can communicate with financial institutions, manage property, operate a business, or make healthcare decisions. In some circumstances, court involvement may become necessary.

Planning for incapacity may include:

Selecting a trusted financial agent
Selecting a trusted healthcare agent
Documenting healthcare instructions
Authorizing appropriate access to medical information
Providing for management of trust property
Coordinating authority relating to a business
Identifying alternate agents if the first person cannot serve

The people you select should be trustworthy, capable of handling the responsibilities involved, and willing to serve.

Wills and Guardian Nominations

A last will and testament allows you to state how property controlled by the will should be distributed after your death. It may also identify the person you want to administer your estate and document your nomination of a guardian for minor children.

A will does not necessarily avoid probate, and it may not control every asset you own. Property may instead pass through beneficiary designations, survivorship rights, trust provisions, or other ownership arrangements.

That is why estate planning should consider more than the language of the will. Your documents, beneficiary designations, and property ownership should be reviewed together.

For parents, nominating guardians is an especially important part of the process. A court ultimately makes guardianship decisions under applicable law and the child's best interests, but a parent's properly documented nomination can provide significant guidance.

Trust Planning

A revocable trust may be appropriate for some clients, but not every estate requires one.

Depending on the circumstances, a trust may help with:

Continued management of assets during incapacity
Management of property for children or other beneficiaries
Providing distributions over time rather than all at once
Maintaining greater privacy
Managing property located in more than one state
Allowing properly transferred assets to pass outside probate
Coordinating an estate plan involving a business or complex family circumstances

Creating a trust document is only part of trust planning. The plan must also address which assets should be connected to the trust and whether ownership records or beneficiary designations need to be updated.

Tasha helps clients evaluate whether a trust is appropriate and understand the steps required to implement it.

Estate Planning for Parents

Parents often begin estate planning because they want to protect and provide for their children.

Important planning questions may include:

Who should care for the children if both parents die?
Who should manage money or property for them?
At what ages or stages should children receive an inheritance?
Should the same person serve as guardian and financial manager?
What happens if a nominated person cannot serve?
How should life insurance and retirement benefits be coordinated?
Does a child have medical, developmental, or other special needs?
Are there children from a prior relationship who require additional planning?

A thoughtful plan can document your preferences and provide a structure for managing property for children who are not ready to manage it themselves.

Estate Planning for Blended Families

Blended families frequently require careful planning. A plan that appears simple may produce unintended results when spouses have children from prior relationships, assets are titled jointly, or beneficiary designations do not match the overall plan.

Planning may need to balance providing for a surviving spouse with preserving property for children or other beneficiaries. It may also need to address separately owned property, jointly owned property, family homes, retirement accounts, life insurance, and the selection of decision-makers.

These decisions should be discussed openly and reflected in coordinated documents and asset arrangements.

Estate Planning for Small-Business Owners

For a business owner, personal estate planning and business planning should work together.

Questions to consider include:

Who can operate the business during an incapacity?
What happens to the ownership interest after death?
Are there multiple owners who need a buy-sell agreement?
Do the governing documents address death, disability, withdrawal, or transfer?
Are ownership records accurate and current?
Should the business continue, be sold, or be wound down?
Is a family member capable of operating the business?
Are key contracts, accounts, passwords, and responsibilities documented?
Do the estate plan and company documents provide consistent instructions?

A failure to coordinate personal and business documents can leave family members, co-owners, and employees without a clear path forward.

Coordinating Property and Beneficiary Designations

An estate plan should take into account how assets are owned and how they are designed to pass.

Relevant property may include:

Real estate
Bank and investment accounts
Retirement accounts
Life insurance
Vehicles
Business interests
Digital assets
Personal property
Property owned jointly with another person
Accounts with payable-on-death or transfer-on-death designations

A will does not automatically override every beneficiary designation or ownership arrangement. Reviewing these items as part of the planning process can help identify inconsistencies and unfinished planning.

When Should You Review Your Estate Plan?

An estate plan should be reviewed periodically and after significant changes involving your family, health, property, business, or intended beneficiaries.

Consider a review following:

Marriage, separation, or divorce
The birth or adoption of a child
The death or incapacity of a beneficiary, agent, or nominated guardian
A move to or from Arkansas
The purchase or sale of real estate
The creation, purchase, or sale of a business
A substantial change in assets or debt
A change in family relationships
A beneficiary developing special needs
A change in the people you trust to act for you
Several years passing since the documents were signed

A plan may remain legally effective while no longer reflecting your wishes or present circumstances. Periodic review can identify appointments, instructions, and asset arrangements that need attention.

What to Expect During the Estate-Planning Process

Estate planning begins with a conversation—not a stack of forms.

Tasha works directly with clients to understand their concerns and explain their options in plain language. The process generally involves discussing:

Your family and important relationships
The property and accounts you own
How those assets are titled
Existing beneficiary designations
The people you trust to act for you
Your healthcare and incapacity preferences
Concerns involving children or other beneficiaries
Business interests and succession issues
Existing estate-planning documents
The legal documents and implementation steps that may be appropriate

The goal is to create a plan you understand—not simply documents you place in a drawer and forget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a will if I do not have a large estate?

Estate planning is not based solely on wealth. A will may document who should receive property controlled by the will, who should administer the estate, and whom you nominate to care for minor children. Powers of attorney and healthcare documents can also be important regardless of the value of your property.

Does a will keep my estate out of probate?

Not necessarily. A will provides instructions for property controlled by the will, but it does not, by itself, prevent probate. Whether probate is required depends on the assets involved, their value, how they are owned, and whether valid beneficiary or transfer arrangements apply.

Do I need a trust?

Not everyone needs a trust. Whether one is appropriate depends on your goals, assets, family circumstances, privacy concerns, and desired method of managing and transferring property.

Can I prepare estate-planning documents online?

Online forms may not account for Arkansas requirements, family complications, asset ownership, beneficiary designations, or business interests. Legal advice can help you understand whether the documents work together and reflect your intended plan.

Can I change my estate plan later?

Many estate-planning documents can be amended or replaced while you have the legal capacity to do so. The appropriate method depends on the type of document and the change being made.

What should I bring to an estate-planning consultation?

Bring any existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare documents, deeds, business agreements, and a general list of your assets, debts, insurance, retirement accounts, and intended beneficiaries. If you do not have everything collected yet, you can still begin the conversation.

Estate-Planning Consultations in Conway and Lonoke

The Law Office of Tasha Terry, PLLC serves clients from offices in Conway and Lonoke.

The Conway office is a dedicated, enclosed private office inside The Studio Downtown at 1100 Oak Street. Meetings at both locations are available by appointment.

Call (501) 438-8123 or complete the contact form to request an estate-planning consultation.

Built on Trust. Focused on What Matters.

Estate Planning Attorney in Conway & Lonoke, Arkansas