Estate Planning

There are all kinds of times when you should update your estate plan, though many people think that updates are just something to do every few years or decades. Estate plans are designed to grow and change with you as your life moves forward, so as those changes...

Estate planning is an important process that allows you to ensure that your loved ones are looked after once you are gone. One of the most important estate planning instruments is a will. This document can facilitate the distribution of your assets, your debt...

Once the divorce becomes inevitable, there are several issues that you will need to deal with. These include property division, child and spousal support and child custody arrangement. One of the issues divorcing parties tend to overlook during those turbulent times...

Your estate plan should include instructions for all of your most valuable assets. The home where you live may be worth more than anything else you possess, making it a crucial asset to handle properly when planning your estate. Given the value of a home, testators...

Once you sit down to create a comprehensive estate plan addressing your health care needs and legacy wishes, you might assume that you never have to consider those issues again. People often feel a false sense of security about their legacies because they drafted a...

One of the most critical parts of the probate process is simply determining who is entitled to which assets. This is often laid out in the will and other sorts of documents, but that doesn't mean there is never any confusion.  For instance, there could be two...

For various reasons, people are often under the impression that estate planning is only relevant to other individuals. For instance, it is a common misconception that estate planning only applies to those with extreme wealth. Additionally, the subject is often seen as...

A will and a trust are two of the most important estate planning documents. A will is a rather basic document that outlines who gets what when you die. It may also name guardians for your younger children. A trust, on the other hand, is more sophisticated because it...

The passing of a loved one can be extremely distressing for family members and loved ones. However, probate (the legal process where assets are allocated to beneficiaries, debtors and heirs) can occasionally result in further tensions.  Thus, identifying some of the...

Rents are high, but mortgage rates are low -- and people are fleeing the cities for the suburbs in droves. This has created a frantic surge in new home purchases that’s made the real estate market go wild. If you’re among the lucky few who have managed to outbid the...