Amanda Jelks, Chattanooga Business, Trust, Wills, Probate & Estate Planning Attorney

Jelks Law, PLLC is a boutique Chattanooga business and estate planning law firm which primarily serves Tennessee and Georgia.

Whether you are scaling your business or preparing for the inevitable and planning for your family's future, our experienced business and estate planning lawyers will walk you through all of your options so that you can make the best decision. Our law firm values every client, please feel free to contact us today!

Business Law

Her background in legal services includes business law with clients ranging from small business owners to international corporations.

Jelks law covers the following business law services, and more:

• Business Formation

• Contracts

• Copyrights

• Trademarks

• Liability Waivers

• Succession Plans

• Risk Management

Amanda is also a business owner herself. Her experience also includes giving her clients peace of mind through her elder law and estate planning services.

Estate Planning

• Wills and Trusts

• Living Wills/Advanced Care Directives

• Powers of Attorney

• Probate Law

• Conservatorships / Guardianships

• Medicaid Planning

Estate Planning Attorneys: Amanda Jelks and Leslie Starritt

Our estate planning attorneys take proactive steps to protect what's most important to our clients: their families, their businesses and their dignity.

Medicaid Planning with the right attorney can make a huge difference when it comes to preserving your estate for your family. As part of the Jelks team, Leslie is your "go to" for Medicaid Planning as a part of your overall estate planning and long term care planning goals. Contact her today. She will be happy to share her expertise with you.

Information on Estate Planning. Quick Guide to Our Legal Services

What is Estate Planning

Estate planning is the process of forming a plan for what happens to your minor children, and all of your assets after you die or become unable to care for yourself. Continue reading more about estate planning.

Who is Estate Planning a good fit for?

If you have children, you need an estate plan regardless of the amount of assets you have. If you do not have children, you need an estate plan if you have savings or retirement accounts (such as 401ks or Roth IRAs) or other assets including cards, houses and real estate, or a business. Everyone over the age of 17 at least needs a power of attorney.

When you begin to accumulate savings or assets, buy a house, or have children, and you would like to have some control over how and to whom those assets are distributed after death or in the case of serious injury rendering you unable to care for yourself. Continue reading about when to start estate planning.

What are the dangers to me and my family of not having an estate plan?

In the event that you die or become legally unable to make your own decisions, if you do not have an estate plan, your savings and assets may become subject to the probate process. Probate is both lengthy and expensive and can involve financial and legal burdens such as litigation and court costs for your family. This could lead to unexpected or undesirable distribution of your estate, causing family conflict and other issues.

How does a Trust and Estates Lawyer control what happens with my estate?

Estate, Probate, and Inheritance Laws vary from state to state. Our estate planning attorneys are familiar with the estate planning laws and use tools including different types of wills and trusts, powers of attorney, conservatorships, guardianships, and business succession plans to ensure that your estate is distributed according to your wishes.

What age or time in life is best to start planning for my estate?

In short, now.Individuals over the age of 18 should have a power of attorney. It is recommended that you have the assistance of an estate planning attorney when drafting your power of attorney. You can also get a sense of what your estate planning needs will be as you begin to accumulate savings or assets, buy a house, run a business, or have children.

How does a Trusts and Estates Lawyer control what happens with my estate?

Estate administration, probate, and inheritance laws vary from state to state. Our estate planning attorneys are familiar with the estate planning laws and use tools including different types of wills and trusts, powers of attorney, conservatorships, guardianships, and business succession plans to ensure that your estate is distributed according to your wishes. 

Estate Planning Tools

Wills

Wills are legal documents that determine how your assets are to be distributed after your death. You can also name a guardian for any minor children you have in a will, but in many cases a judge will make a final determination for custody or guardianship. Please note that the preparation of a will is specific to individual families and the laws vary by state. It is highly recommended that you consult an estate planning attorney for assistance in drawing up a will.

Probate

Probate is the process of administering an estate's assets after an individual dies. The process also involves determining whether a will is valid and can govern the process. The probate process can be lengthy and involve financial and legal burdens such as litigation and court costs for your family. This could lead to unexpected or undesirable distribution of your estate, causing family conflict and other issues. Careful and informed estate planning can reduce the impact of probate or even avoid it completely in some cases.

Trusts

A trust can be created for any number of purposes to legally remove income or assets from an individual in order to protect them from creditors or to not be considered as income. The individual who the trust is created for is usually known as the principal. The person who oversees the trust is known as the trustee. A trust can also be used in planning for entering long term care facilities to separate yourself from your estate, to assist with Medicaid eligibility. There are many different types of trusts used by an Estate Planning Lawyer. A contingent trust comes into existence only when certain conditions are met. Revocable living trusts are valid upon execution and can be revised or revoked at any time, as opposed to irrevocable trusts, which are commonly associated with asset protection as well as Medicaid or long-term care planning, and cannot be revoked.

Conservatorships

A conservatorship is an arrangement in which an individual is legally appointed to oversee the affairs of another individual who is deemed unable to do so for themselves. This can occur in cases of aging individuals who cannot manage their own affairs, people with mental health conditions, or for managing the affairs of developmentally disabled persons.

Medicaid Planning

Medicaid planning entails the creation of documents and legal monetary arrangements in preparation for an individual not being able to take care of themselves and having to enter into some form of long-term care. The best time to begin this type of planning is while you're still well. Often, by the time you face an imminent need for long-term care, it will likely be too late to take advantage of some of these types of asset protections for your family. Discussing your future options with an attorney experienced in Medicaid planning now will preserve your best options.

Advanced Care Directives and Living Wills

Advanced Care Directives are legal documents which can allow you to specify, in advance, how you would like to be treated medically if you are unable to do so at time of sickness or injury. They can alleviate the burden of responsibility for family members to make uncomfortable decisions in these times, and ensure that your wishes are fulfilled in these situations. A common example of an advanced care directive you may be familiar with is a DNR or do not resuscitate order.

Jelks Law, Trusted Legal Counsel

Whatever stage you are at in your family cycle or your business formation and operations, Jelks Law is here for you and your family's needs.

A professional estate planning attorney could help you develop a plan for your estate to ensure that your assets are distributed as you intend them to be, your minor children have a guardian you appoint to raise them, and that their guardian has access to the funds needed to raise your minor children.

With many years of corporate and small business experience, we can help you at any stage of your business development.

Since every family's circumstances are unique, Jelks Law offers tailored solutions to all of our clients. If you have questions on the estate planning process or any of our legal services, we have experienced attorneys who value every client. Please don't hesitate to contact us today!