Probate—the legal process of managing and distributing an estate—is often time consuming and expensive. Fortunately, there are several ways to avoid probating  estate assets, either partially or completely. With the proper estate planning techniques, you can avoid probate and save your loved ones a lot of time, expense, and hassle. Living Trusts One of the foremost... Read More

When it comes to estate planning, you need to start out with accurate information. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation surrounding probate which many people believe when they first seek out an estate planning lawyer. Each case has its own unique circumstances, but there are a few common myths many people hold to be... Read More

If your children or grandchildren are on their way to starting their college education, you are probably curious about how to help them achieve their dreams. There are many ways to fund an education, but two of the most popular choices are the 529 College Education Plan and an Education Trust. The 529 Plan The... Read More

Protecting a legacy is an important consideration for many people during the estate planning process, and there are several ways to approach this goal. You’ve probably heard of revocable vs. irrevocable trusts, but you might not be aware of the benefits of setting up a discretionary trust for your loved ones. Here are the basics... Read More

It’s tempting to put off estate planning for as long as possible—after all, no one likes to think about their loved ones going on without them. However, planning for the future is a vital part of making sure those you leave behind are cared for. Often, even people with a large amount of assets neglect... Read More

If most of your estate consists of money you have in an IRA and 401(k) at work and in a life insurance policy, you might have a few questions about how probate affects you, such as: How can I transfer my estate to my heirs in the most efficient manner possible? If I have named... Read More

Trusts can be an incredibly helpful tool to allocate assets throughout a person’s life, as well as providing for loved ones after death. They are especially helpful for people struggling with incapacity or disability. After the person who created the trust passes on, it can protect assets in a number of ways. Creating a trust... Read More

Learning about trusts can help immensely when it comes to estate planning. Placing property in trust can help you avoid a long and costly probate process. But, like other helpful tools, a trust might not fit every situation, so it must be used only when needed. For example, the best tool to use if you... Read More

If you are considering contacting a probate lawyer to help you create an estate plan, you might not be aware a relatively new provision of the law which permits you to end an “irrevocable” trust. It’s a provision that could become very useful should the needs of you and your family change over time. What... Read More

With the advent of websites dedicated to making legal documents accessible for everyone, you might be tempted to use one of these services rather than going through an estate planning lawyer. After all, if you can use Google, you can find a template for a will almost instantly. Why should you get a lawyer’s help... Read More