Most people's estate plans only require that family members follow their instructions. They include enough detail and have proper review by a lawyer to ensure that the documents they leave behind when they die will hold up in court and properly manage the distribution...

It’s one thing for a family member to leave you a piece of jewelry you’ll never wear. It’s quite another for them to leave you a significant asset like a home or even a car that you don’t need and don’t want to deal with. Maybe you believe someone else in your family...

Nothing stirs up old resentments and rivalries among relatives than a significant death in the family. Before some relatives have even had a chance to process the information that their loved one has died, others may use their spare key to let themselves into the...

For the most part, contested wills arise out of an heir’s (or potential heir’s) sense that a deep injustice has been done. Estate fights commonly break out between siblings who have a longstanding rivalry or stepparents and their deceased’s spouse’s children from a...

While blended families can create a lot of love, they can also create issues when a loved one passes away. Unfortunately, many cases of probate litigation involve tensions and accusations between stepparents and stepchildren after a biological parent passes away. If...

Following the death of a loved one, his or her will may be challenged in court. However, not everyone can challenge this document, which details the deceased person's expressed wishes. Only interested persons in Florida have the right to challenge wills, and even...