Family Law

• Adoption
• Guardianship
  In Tennessee, Guardianship and Conservatorship mean the same thing, Guardianships are for when the disabled person or minor (Respondent) is under the age of 18, Conservatorships are for when the Respondent is over the age of 18. We will refer to both as a Conservatorship.

Business and Corporate Law

• Business Disputes
  We provide advice and legal services in connection with the creation of business entities including corporations, LLC’s and partnerships. This includes transactional business agreements such as leases, non-competition agreements and non-disclosure agreements, shareholder buy-sell agreements, the merger and sale of companies, and the purchase or sale of an interest in a business.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  If you own a business, you should not overlook it in your estate planning. Business entities require that certain legal formalities be observed. Creating a business entity is relatively inexpensive, but maintaining it can be expensive. It can be even more expensive if it is not done right.
• Wills
  Wills and trusts are the primary vehicles that lawyers use to assist clients in meeting their estate planning goals. A will is a written document that takes effect at the death of the person signing it (the “testator”). A will covers all property owned by the testator at death and the court process of administering a will is called probate. A trust is defined as an intentionally created fiduciary relationship with regard to property in which the legal title is in the trustee, but the benefit of ownership is another person, the beneficiary. There are many types of trusts, but probably the most popular is a living trust (sometimes called an “inter-vivos” trust). It is a document that is revocable at any time by the person signing it (often referred to as the “grantor” or “settlor”), but becomes irrevocable at the death of the grantor. Living trusts are often used because it can eliminate the probate process.
• Trusts
  Probate can be avoided by titling your assets into a living trust that you create during your lifetime. Once you die, the assets held in your trust are distributed to the beneficiaries you have designated within the trust document. This process is handled outside probate and is supervised by whomever you have named as Successor Trustee of your trust after you die. However, the living trust process is only useful in avoiding probate for the assets that are actually titled into the legal name of your trust. It is quite common for someone to have a living trust drawn up, and then never transfer the title of their assets into the name of the trust. You can theoretically title anything into your living trust: your house, boat, car, brokerage account, coin collection, etc.
• Power of Attorney
  Ideally, the least restrictive alternative should be used and a Conservatorship should be the last resort. You want to keep as much autonomy and self determination as possible for an individual, while providing only the level or protection and supervision that is necessary. Some examples include: representative payee for certain governmental benefits and powers of attorney for health care and business matters. Though sometimes, it is impossible to avoid a Conservatorship.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Tax Law
  Buhrman Law Firm, P.C. has been helping Chattanooga area clients with legal advice and planning for decades. Please give us a call if you need assistance with estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, trust and estate administration, business law, tax issues, conservatorships and guardianships, or elder law. We have experience practicing in Tennessee and Georgia. As a small law firm with a specialized area of practice, we can offer efficient and reliable legal services, at a reasonable price.