Why Get an Estate Plan?
The majority of people would be surprised to discover a particular fact about estate planning law: every person has an estate plan of some kind, even if they never set foot in a probate lawyer’s office. Each state has laws in place in order to determine what happens when a person dies or becomes incapacitated...Read More
Charitable Remainder Trusts: What You Need to Know
If you are in the process of estate planning or just getting ready for retirement, you have probably come across the term charitable trust. Charitable Remainder Trusts, or CRT’s, allow families to create income and save on taxes, all while benefiting the charity of their choice. The following is a brief introduction to how a...Read More
Everything You Need to Know About Advance Directives
An advance directive is a written record a person makes regarding their wishes for medical treatment. Many times, this document includes a living will and power of attorney, granting a trusted family member or other loved one the authority to make decisions in the person’s stead. Advance directives are used in cases where the patient...Read More
Gift Tax: An Overview
When making plans for how their estate is to be handled, many people try to avoid taxation as much as possible and simplify probating the assets whenever they can. There are several strategies you can employ to accomplish this. Placing property in trust is one way of ensuring it transfers easily. Another way property owners...Read More
Probate Litigation: What It Is and How to Avoid It
It is an unfortunate fact that sometimes legal disputes arise surrounding property and persons affected by illness, aging and death. Probate courts deal with these sorts of problems, which can range from relatives of a deceased person disputing the will to family members determining who has power of attorney when a loved one becomes incapacitated....Read More
Is a Living Trust Right for You?
Creating a living trust often allows an estate to avoid probate, making them an incredibly popular option in estate planning. This simplifies the process considerably for estate executors and loved ones, but a living trust is not always the best option for every family. There are several factors to consider before putting a trust in...Read More
Living Trusts: Facts to Get Started
You may have heard that living trusts are a good strategy for avoiding probate, since they allow you to pass property directly to a named beneficiary. This means they can potentially save your loved ones from a months-long legal process involving expensive legal fees. Living trusts are an attractive option for many property owners for...Read More
Settling an Estate without a Will: The Probate Process
The last will and testament is the primary document used to determine the distribution of assets for a deceased person’s estate—but sometimes, there is no will to guide the process. When this occurs, there are a few standard procedures that are often employed to ensure that the estate is settled legally. The process is determined...Read More
What Do Probate Lawyers Do?
If you are considering creating a last will and testament dictating how you would like to handle your assets, you may be in the process of looking for an estate planning attorney. With multiple sources of information available online, there are many ways to find legal advice—but how do you know who to trust? You...Read More
What to Expect When You Consult with a Probate Attorney
If you are considering starting the estate planning process, you probably have many questions about how to begin: what assets are involved? What are the procedures in my state? How much will it cost? A trusted probate lawyer can help you with any concerns you may have about ensuring that your or your loved one’s wishes...Read More