Probate: [from the Middle-English probat, from Latin probatum…] a : the action or process of proving before a competent judicial authority that a document offered for official recognition and registration as the last will and testament of a deceased person is genuine. b : the judicial determination of the validity of a will. This Merriam-Webster… Read More »
Posts Tagged: Estate Planning
3 Reasons to Discuss Estate Planning With Your Ex
Creating an estate plan to protect your minor children is one of the most difficult—and most important—things you will ever do; this is especially true if you and your child’s other parent are separated or divorced. Relationships don’t always end amicably, but if you do have children it is definitely worthwhile to put aside your… Read More »
Do You Need A Will Or A Trust?
When it comes to estate planning there are two major vehicles for the distribution of property: A will and a trust. Both are very useful tools and can accomplish specific goals—but how do you know which one is best for your family? Which document you will need depends on a number of factors, some of… Read More »
The Most Important Plan You’ll Make
Whether or not we do it regularly, all of us know how to plan ahead: We plan for travel and vacation, we plan weddings, and we plan for natural disasters, for retirement, or what to make for dinner tomorrow night. Why is it, then, that so few of us will create a plan to help… Read More »
10 Tips for Potential (or Existing) Trustees
The creation of a trust and estate plan includes spending a certain amount of time choosing the people who will be your fiduciaries—the people who will carry out your wishes. One of the most important fiduciaries is your trustee, who is involved in just about every aspect of the administration of your trust. Most people… Read More »
News and Updates About the Estate Tax
A month and a half into 2010 and Congress’ failure to stop the lapse in estate tax is still making waves. These two trusted news sources explain why having “no estate tax” this year should worry you. One of the first reasons you should be worried, as revealed by this article in the Wall Street… Read More »
The Question of Competence
One of the things estate planning attorneys have to deal with in their line of work (most often with elderly clients) is the question of whether or not a client is competent to sign their legal documents. Every principal (or person executing the documents) must be competent, and most attorneys—most people—can make this assessment based… Read More »
Make Your Memoirs a Part of Your Legacy
As members of a melting-pot nation, Americans place a high value on family stories and history. We love to know when and why our ancestors came to this country from “the home land”; but we also enjoy the simple stories about how mom and dad met, or how grandpa served in the military. These stories… Read More »
Living in a Digital World
Do you have an e-mail account? Do you participate in Facebook or other Social Networking sites? Do you do any of your banking, bill paying or investing online? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you might want to think about this next question… what will happen to all of your online… Read More »
Part of the Family: Planning for Pets
Creating an estate plan often involves serious discussion with your advisors about tax planning, asset protection, and charitable giving; but it is important to remember that at its core, estate planning is about protecting your family—and as this article in the Wall Street Journal reminds us, for many people the word “family” also includes our… Read More »