Having a will prepared is a gift of kindness to your loved ones. They will appreciate the effort to care for them, after you’ve passed on. If you need another reason to have a will prepared, consider the potential for conflict among loved ones who will have to guess about…
Watching Anthony Bourdain travel the lesser known corners of the world and relish exotic foods and people was fascinating. However, that same approach does not work well, when it comes to more mundane matters, like estate planning. What Anthony Bourdain’s family could have used was a disaster plan, based on…
Without a will, decisions about your life, property and children will be made by someone who does not know you or your family. With a will, you have the ability to express your wishes. You need a will! Having a will is not just for wealthy folks, who need to…
Don’t delay finalizing your estate plan, because determining who to name as your executor is difficult. Here’s some help to figure out how to make this important decision. If there are no family members or friends with the necessary skills, your best option may be to name your attorney as…
Before he died, the owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans gave millions of dollars of property to his daughter and her children, but they were not included in his last will and testament. The last will of multi-millionaire Tom Benson, who owned several professional sports teams and other…
Choosing an executor is not easy, but it is very important. A person who is not capable of managing the tasks can drive even the best estate plan off the path. Part of creating an estate plan is naming an executor who will be responsible for carrying out the wishes…
A lot of details go into being an executor, and some people find it a thankless task. But knowing that you helped someone you love carry out his or her last wishes holds its own reward. Most people are honored when they learn that they have been named executor of…
If you don't believe any friends or family members can serve as your executor, what are your options? A question is raised by a well-to-do husband who is concerned that his wife is not prepared to handle a significant estate if he should predecease her. The couple has no children,…
Anyone who has cleaned out someone else's filing system knows that we all keep way more paperwork than needed. Spare your loved ones and get started now on cleaning up and creating a directory. Some people won't set foot into a supermarket without a shopping list. They are the people…
We’ve heard or read the stories of wealthy families forced to sell off prized heirlooms so that hefty estate taxes could be paid. It is never a happy day when an heir needs to sell the family home, wine collection, fine art or collection of vintage automobiles to raise cash…