A will or trust explains what you want to have happen to your assets when you die, hopefully in a very, very long time. While most people understand that a will explains what to do with money, property, and children, there are other parts you might be surprised by. MSN’s…
A will serves several purposes. It gives you the power to distribute your possessions, according to your own wishes. It also lets you name who should take care of your children, if they are minors when you die, and of your pets, if you provide for them in the will.…
Digital property needs to be addressed in your estate plan just as tangible assets like real estate. Not planning for a digital afterlife is increasingly important. How many hours do you spend on your smart phone, laptop or desktop, busy with work emails, personal emails, social media platforms, gaming, networking…
With the average American owning more than 100 online accounts, we now have to address the issue of digital estate planning. It’s not as simple as gathering up the sticky notes with passwords that adorn your desk. What would happen if you died unexpectedly and your executor needed to access…
The swiftness of fires and flood in the news in recent months, even in places that have never experienced dramatic disasters, puts a spotlight on the need for preparedness. That includes your estate plan. The evening news presents enough reminders about the need to plan for disasters. However, many people…
Whether your estate plan documents are stored in the cloud or a filing cabinet, make sure to tell your family members, representatives and executors where you’ve placed these important documents. Chances are you spend a lot more time online with your digital assets than you think. With digital assets and…
With few exceptions, most of us are living digital lives. That includes basics like sharing family news on social media and storing photos in the cloud, as well as financial information. Your digital life needs to be part of your estate plan, now more than ever before. Your executor and…
Portland is widely recognized as one of the most innovative cities in the US, and a new law reflects Oregon's tech culture. With the signature of Governor Kate Brown, Oregon has enacted Senate Bill 1554, which grants legal access to digital assets to a person named in an estate plan…
Today’s millennials understand that their digital assets, which include everything from family movies hosted in the cloud, to social media accounts, digital currencies like Bitcoin and domain names, have value that can be passed to others when they die. One young man created a will that listed all of his…
Recognizing the ever-growing concern over managing online accounts of deceased loved ones, Google has changed the options on their support page regarding access to a deceased user's account. We're glad to see that Google allows survivors to manage their loved one's accounts in the event of death, especially when clear…