Estate Planning

The death of a loved one won't just bring intense, adverse emotional reactions. It will also generate hundreds of hours' worth of practical responsibilities in many cases. Family members, especially those who anticipate serving as the executor or personal...

No. 1 - Wills A will is a legal document that declares what you, the testator, want to be done with your estate after you pass away. The will also states who the executor of the Estate is.  The executor is responsible for paying any estate taxes or fees and handling...

Planning for retirement often involves setting a little of money aside out of every paycheck. You also probably need to occasionally look at your savings and re-evaluate your retirement plan. As you get closer to retirement, long-term planning also becomes important....

You love your parents, but you know that they are getting older. Your mother’s memory is not what it used to be, and your father’s physical health is not good. You know that you can petition to take on conservatorship or guardianship of your parents, but you don’t...

Many people recognize that estate administration is a really hard job, but many of them still don't know what is actually involved. Whether you are currently planning your estate or a loved one asked you to serve as the executor for their estate, knowing the...

When your parents wrote their wills, they left everything -- including the family home -- to you and your sibling in equal parts. That will, however, was written long ago. It was never updated after your father died, not even when you moved into the home to take care...

Most people know that an estate plan gives them some control over what happens to their assets and personal effects following their death. What happens, however, if someone doesn't take the time to have their will written before their death? In those situations,...

It’s hard to lose a loved one, no matter what their age or the circumstances. Things can get even harder, however, when the deceased didn’t leave a will. So, finding a handwritten will among your loved one’s personal papers may have been a huge relief -- if it’s...

As we age, many of us worry about the future of our loved ones when the time comes for us to pass away. Thinking about death isn’t easy, but couching it in terms of what it means for your loved ones can be even more challenging. Given this difficulty, far too many...

Whether the estate planner is looking to avoid the probate process or families are looking to negotiate the probate process, it is important to understand what the probate process entails. Probate is essentially a court-supervised process that transfers the estate...