Even though probate sounds expensive and complicated, it is a standard legal procedure that describes how estate assets pass from one family member to another. Whether or not you require probate depends on the type of property and how you…
Due to an anticipated decrease in the federal estate tax exemption allowance, it may be time to rethink how you plan to pass generational wealth to your heirs. Senate Democrats are proposing to lower the current estate tax exemption from…
Alzheimer's disease affects more than 5 million Americans, and there is no cure. Projections by the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) are that by 2050 more than 14 million Americans will suffer from this disease. What can you do if you are…
An estate plan that is comprehensive requires careful thought and discussion with your spouse. Before meeting with an estate planning attorney, it is best to discuss your ideas to present a united goal. This conversation can be challenging if you…
When you go through big life changes like births, marriages, divorces, and moving to a new state, you should review your estate planning documents periodically. Children grow up, marriages dissolve, property gets sold, and residences change. That’s why we recommend…
Children usually inherit money or property equally from their parents. But sometimes, parents intentionally choose to not leave anything to a child, and the reasons for doing so may vary. One reason could be that a child who is more…
Parents who are aging will often lose their ability to make informed and meaningful decisions regarding their lives due to cognitive decline. This growing inability may occur due to Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, mental illness, stroke, brain injury,…
Family members or friends may ask you to act as their power of attorney. Your person may be planning for when they might become unable to take care of their affairs. For example, they might become disabled or incapacitated, and…
You should know the lawyer's role as soon as you start the probate process, whether you are the executor or heir. One of the biggest sources of conflict in probating the estate is understanding the role of the lawyer hired…
You might think that leaving your property to your heirs would be simple enough. You make a will or a trust, you do a transfer-on-death deed for your real estate, you put your kids on your bank account, you designate…