Estate Planning

Creating an estate plan, or just a will, is the responsible thing to do. After all, this document will ensure your family and beneficiaries know how you want your assets dispersed after you pass. However, what’s the point of creating a will if no one can find it after...

Estate planning for a beneficiary with special needs should be done carefully. To ensure that their interests are well looked after once you are gone, you may need to do things differently. For instance, while you may want to pass over assets and properties to your...

A lot of people think about estate planning as a “one and done” process. They may form the impression that once they have a will drafted, they never have to think about it again. Estate plans tend to reflect the needs of family members, and families rarely remain...

Whether you have drafted a will or created a trust, your estate plan allows you to pass property to the people you love or the causes that you value when you die. Your biggest assets, like financial accounts and your primary residence, are likely among the property...

Estate planning is an important subject, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to talk about. Perhaps you have recently taken steps to protect your family’s inheritance, and are concerned that your parents have not done the same?  How do you approach them about such a...

An estate plan is not a preserve for the old and wealthy folk. If anything, you should have one if you are a legal adult. You don’t have to own much to have an estate plan. It is still worthwhile to plan how everything should be dealt with when you are gone. For...

Probate is the court process through which a deceased's estate is distributed. It is usually initiated by your estate's executor or an administrator. During the process, the court validates your will and authorizes your executor to distribute your estate to your...

An increasing number of Americans are beginning to understand why they need to draft their estate plans long before they become senior citizens. This has led to an uptick in testators looking for ways to store these important legally binding documents.  Few testators...

One of the only certain things in life is change. When you first created your estate plan, it was tailored to the circumstance of your life at that time. If you take a look at what has happened in your life since then, it is easy to appreciate why you may need to...

Making your own estate plan gives you the space and flexibility to set terms that reflect your family's needs. If you were to die without a last will, your spouse will receive a specific portion of your estate, while your children will typically equally split the...