When you received a serious medical diagnosis, it made you start thinking about your plans for the future. You realized that you didn't have an estate plan yet, so you decided that it was time to get one put in place for your family. This is a good time to do your...
A will should reflect the last wishes of its maker on how their estate should be handled after they are gone. But what if they were unduly influenced into creating the will through coercion or other overbearing tactics? In such a case, the court could declare the will...
All adults should have an estate plan in place, but many don’t realize that they need to get their power of attorney designations handled right away. These designations give someone the legal ability to make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. ...
Probate is the court-controlled process a will goes through before distributing the estate to the beneficiaries. It serves to validate the will and ensure that it is executed as per the deceased's wishes. It sounds pretty straightforward, but there are several reasons...
Unfortunately, estate planning is an area of the law that is often plagued by myths. You'll find you will many people repeat these myths if you ask them about their plan or if you find out that they simply haven't made an estate plan. To help you avoid the same...
You generally use your estate plan to pass on your assets. However, you may be able to use it to pass on your personal values and things that you find important. One way to do this is by using a trust. A trust is a financial device that allows you to set money aside,...
When you create your estate plan, you know you have an heir with a lot of special needs, and so you plan to leave the bulk of your assets to them. You believe that this is the best way that you can help them even after you're gone. However, one unintended consequence...
Your estate plan is meant to persist after you die and give instructions to others about your final legacy. It will provide information about who will serve as the guardian of any children you have and offer instructions about how to distribute your property after you...
If your parent is getting older and they don't have an estate plan, you might want to talk to them about that. Especially if you only have one living parent or if your parents have divorced, having an estate plan in place is very important for your family. Encouraging...
One of the most powerful tools you can include in your estate planning arsenal is a well-drafted trust. With this document, you can enjoy flexibility when leaving assets to your heirs. You can also add more than one trust to your estate plan, allowing you to address...
