Foley is one of the fastest-growing cities in Alabama, and that growth is bringing more South Baldwin County families face-to-face with estate planning and probate questions for the first time. Our estate attorneys handle estate planning, probate administration, and estate litigation in Foley and across Baldwin County, so whatever stage you’re at, you’re working with the same local team from start to finish.
Why Foley Families Choose Southern Estate Lawyers
Our estate attorneys live and work right here in Baldwin County, not just in a courtroom a few times a year. We keep a local office in Foley, and families throughout Foley, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and surrounding communities trust us with some of the most important decisions they will ever make: protecting their families, their homes, and everything they have worked for.
300+ Five-Star Reviews from Alabama Families
Southern Estate Lawyers has helped more than 2,000 Alabama families create estate plans and guided countless others through probate, earning over 300 five-star Google reviews along the way. Foley clients get the same attention and the same track record that has built our reputation across the state.
40+ Years of Combined Legal Experience
Our estate attorneys bring more than four decades of combined experience in Alabama’s Probate and Circuit Courts. That experience means we know the mistakes that turn a simple estate plan or a routine probate filing into a dispute, and we plan around them from the start.
Planning and Litigation Under One Roof
We draft documents, as well as litigate. Our estate attorneys have recovered more than $12 million for Alabama families in contested estate and trust matters. That combined perspective shapes every document we draft and every case we take on for Foley and Baldwin County clients.
How an Estate Lawyer in Foley, Alabama, Can Help
Every family’s situation is different, and the right path depends on where you are right now: building a plan for the future, administering a loved one’s estate, or dealing with a dispute that has already started.
Estate Planning
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives are the building blocks of a plan that protects your family, and they matter even more here given how many Foley families own a second property on the coast, are part of a blended family, or split time between Alabama and another state.
Our estate planning lawyers in Foley start by understanding what you own, who you want to protect, and what should happen if you’re ever unable to make decisions for yourself. We then help you decide which combination of estate planning documents actually fits your family.
Probate Administration
When a loved one passes away, someone has to open the estate, notify creditors, and see it through to distribution under the Baldwin County Probate Court. Our Foley probate attorneys guide personal representatives through every step of probating a will in Alabama, from filing the initial petition to the final accounting and distribution, so nothing gets missed and no deadline gets overlooked.
If a will is contested along the way, our will contest lawyers in Foley will step in to represent you in front of the Baldwin County Probate Court, whether you’re defending the will or challenging it.
Intestate Succession
When someone dies without a will, Alabama’s intestacy laws decide who inherits, not personal wishes, and the outcome can catch blended families or unmarried partners off guard. We open the estate in Baldwin County Probate Court, determine which heirs are entitled to a share under Alabama law, and see the case through to distribution. If family members disagree about what happens when there’s no will, you won’t need to find new counsel: our litigation attorneys in Foley are already prepared to represent you in court.
Estate Litigation
Some disputes can’t be worked out around a table and have to go in front of a judge. When that happens, you need attorneys who litigate these matters regularly in Baldwin County.
Litigation can be necessary in various situations, including will contests built around signs of undue influence when a will was signed, trust disputes where a trustee has misused estate funds or isn’t meeting their duties under Alabama law, and petitions over whether a beneficiary can be removed from a trust or an executor should be removed entirely. Our estate litigation lawyers in Foley can represent both sides: the personal representatives and trustees defending their conduct, and the family members bringing the challenge.
Get Help With Estate Planning, Probate, or Litigation in Foley
The sooner you talk to an estate attorney, whether you’re building a plan for the first time, administering a loved one’s estate, or already facing a dispute, the more options you have. Meet with an estate lawyer in Foley at Southern Estate Lawyers for a free consultation.
Trusted by Families Across Alabama
The families we represent in Foley and across Alabama describe the same things: clear communication, steady guidance, and estate attorneys who treat their clients with the seriousness it deserves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, our attorneys answer the questions we hear most often from clients in Foley trying to figure out where to start.
What’s the difference between estate planning and probate in Foley?
Estate planning is what you put in place during your lifetime, such as a will, a trust, or a power of attorney, to control what happens to your property and who makes decisions on your behalf.
Probate is the court process that takes place after death to carry out those documents, or, if none exist, to distribute the estate under Alabama’s intestacy laws.
Do I need a will, a trust, or both?
A will is the foundation of nearly every estate plan and is often paired with a trust when a family wants to avoid probate for certain assets, manage an inheritance for a minor or vulnerable beneficiary, or keep a property like a vacation rental out of a forced sale.
Where is probate handled for someone who lived in Foley?
Probate for Foley residents is handled through the Baldwin County Probate Court, which maintains a service location in Foley in addition to its main office in Bay Minette. Our Foley probate lawyers can walk you through what to expect.
What if I believe a will or trust was signed under undue influence or does not reflect what my family member actually wanted?
That is a litigation matter, not a planning one, and it needs to be raised with the probate or circuit court handling the estate. Courts weigh signs of undue influence, such as isolation from family or last-minute changes that benefit one caregiver, and our litigation attorneys can evaluate whether your situation supports a challenge.
What happens if a loved one died without a will in Foley?
Alabama’s intestate succession laws determine who inherits when there is no will, and the results do not always match what the family expected, especially in blended families. We open the estate in Baldwin County Probate Court and guide you through what happens when there’s no will in Alabama, including who is entitled to a share.
How much does estate planning typically cost in Foley?
The cost of an estate plan in Foley depends on the complexity of your estate. A simple will-based plan often falls in the $800 to $1,500 range, while a plan built around a trust or more involved strategies typically runs $2,500 to $5,000 or more, and what you pay a lawyer scales with how much drafting and coordination the plan requires. We go over the specifics that apply to your situation during your free consultation.
Start With a Free Case Evaluation
Not sure whether an estate needs full probate, or where to even begin? A short conversation with an estate lawyer in Foley at Southern Estate Lawyers can save your family months of confusion.
Visit us at 218 North Alston Street, Foley, AL 36535 or contact us today to schedule your free consultation.