A well thought out, and properly drafted, estate plan can protect you, your assets, and your loved ones throughout the course of your life and even after you are gone. Given the purpose and importance of your estate plan, care should be taken when choosing an estate planning attorney to assist you with the creation of your plan. At the German Law we are dedicated to helping our friends, neighbors, and associates in the Crookston, Minnesota community with all of their estate planning needs, both now and in the future. Our primary goal is to help you achieve your estate planning goals.
History of Crookston, Minnesota
The area that now encompasses Crookston, Minnesota appears to have been uninhabited prior to the 1860s. Unlike many other nearby areas, experts have not found any artifacts nor other evidence that the area was associated with any Native American tribes prior to the arrival of European settlors. The area was, however, traversed by trappers and traders, including Ojibwa and Lakota Indians, Métis, and other mixed-race people as well as white men between 1790 and 1870. A branch of the Red River Trails passed nearby and was used by fur traders between the 1840.
European settlors began to settle in the area in the early part of the 1870s. By 1876 it was the site of a federal land office as well as being sited on a portion of the Great Northern Railway which began operations prior to 1880. The town was incorporated on April 1, 1879 as “Queen City” and boasted a jail, graded streets, and a few plank sidewalks by the end of that year. Residents, however, were not happy with the town’s name. Two factions soon developed with one faction campaigning to change the name to “Davis” in honor of the town’s first mayor, Captain Ellerey C. Davis. The competing faction championed the name Crookston to honor Colonel William Crooks, a soldier and railroad builder. Legend has it that the town’s permanent name of Crookston was chosen by means of a coin toss.
Crookston, Minnesota Today
Located in the northwest part of the state, along the border with North Dakota, Crookston serves as the county seat for Polk County, Minnesota. Covering just over five square miles, Crookston has a population of just over 7,800 people as of the 2010 Census. The city, however, is part of the Grand Forks, ND–MN Metropolitan Statistical Area which is home to approximately 100,000 year around residents.
Nestled along the banks of the Red Lake River, residents and visitors to Crookston can enjoy the city’s natural beauty and unspoiled landscape. Crookston’s proximity to the much larger city of Grand Forks means that residents can enjoy the small town benefits the city offers while commuting to the larger city for work. It also means that the numerous dining, entertainment, and shopping options offered in Grand Forks are only a short car ride away.
German Law in the Crookston, Minnesota Community
The attorneys and staff at the German Law are proud to serve the residents of the City of Crookston, Minnesota and the surrounding area. Given the importance of your estate plan, we understand that choosing the right attorney to assist you is imperative and we would be honored to be that choice. Creating a comprehensive estate plan is among the most important endeavors you will undertake during the course of your lifetime. Our goal is to help you create that plan and to ensure that it reflects your needs, goals, and wishes both now and in the future.
Estate planning is somewhat unique within the law in that it is not a legal matter that is ever truly “resolved.” On the contrary, for your estate plan to be successful it needs to be an ongoing venture that is continuously reviewed and updated to reflect changes that occur in your life. Your initial estate plan may focus entirely on creating a plan for the distribution of your estate assets in the event of your untimely demise. As you progress through the stages of your life, changes in your life will require corresponding changes to your estate plan. If you marry, for example, you will want to include your spouse as a beneficiary in your plan. Becoming a parent will also cause you to start thinking about things such as incapacity planning, probate avoidance, and other estate planning issues for parents with minor children. As your asset portfolio grows, you may need to incorporate assets protection and tax avoidance strategies into your estate plan. Retirement planning and Medicaid planning will also need to be considered as early on in your life as possible to reap the maximum benefits from those plans. At the German Law, we are committed to being with you throughout your life journey to ensure that you, your assets, and your loved ones are protected.
Contact Us
If you have additional question or concerns regarding estate planning in the Crookston, Minnesota area, contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at German Law by calling 701-738-0060 to schedule an appointment.
