Estate planning is even more important for individuals and couples without children. Without an estate plan, your assets may go to long-lost relatives you’ve never met. You also need to plan for incapacity, especially if there are no living relatives. While your legacy may be different if you don’t have…
If a temporary administrator has failed to perform their duties properly, the court has the power to remove this person. Beneficiaries need to know that they have rights too. If a temporary administrator is not following the terms of the will, taking money that belongs to the estate or failing…
Many instances of estate planning disasters start when well-meaning people try to use a simple solution for what is ultimately a complicated problem. It’s better for all concerned to meet with an estate planning attorney who can present strategies that will achieve goals, rather than attempt a do-it-yourself plan that…
The succession plan works for your business in the same way an estate plan works for your personal life. It protects the business, outlining your wishes and plans for it to continue, or sets up a means of passing it to the next owners, whether they are family members or…
Leaving the workplace behind and heading into retirement can be as much an emotional transition, as it is financial. The prospect of fulfilling dreams long deferred, while recognizing a milestone of aging can take time to work through. At the same time, there are time-sensitive tasks that need doing. During…
The durable power of attorney is a means of naming a person who can represent another in all legal and financial matters, while they are alive and well, as well as when they are incapacitated. It is a legal document that needs careful consideration. The power of attorney gives a…
At last, you’ve completed your estate documents, including retitling assets and checking beneficiary designations. The only question left is, where should they be stored? The answer is not that simple. Do you know where your estate plan documents are? Many people ask their estate planning attorneys to hold onto their…
While it’s possible for people to manage some parts of their loved one’s estate, very often the tasks feel overwhelming. When getting assets out of probate becomes too much of a challenge, it’s time for help. There are instances when an executor knows they need to hire an attorney who…
Any high-income professional must expect that at some point there will be a bad outcome and a lawsuit against them and/or their practice. Doctors, in particular, need to be sure that they have the correct protection in place. Whether you are a surgeon, chiropractor or cardiologist, at some point in…
There are many inheritance scenarios, where people hope that a simple solution will save them time and money. Unfortunately, that’s not always the way estate or tax laws work. A woman received joint ownership of her father’s house about a decade ago. Her father is still living there, and so…