Category Archives: Estate Planning
Proper Estate Planning Reduces Probate Issues
Probate is a legal process that happens after someone dies. While probate can be complex, lengthy, and expensive, proper estate planning can mitigate unwanted risks and probate issues by anticipating what might happen and preventing problems before they arise. Sound estate planning can make the probate process run efficiently and smoothly, protecting your estate’s… Read More »
Want to Leave Your Retirement Account to Your Minor Child? Consider These Things First
Your retirement account may be one of the most valuable things you own. Many people consider naming their children as the beneficiaries of these accounts because they think it is a way of easily transferring their wealth if something happens to them. However, there are some factors that make this type of transfer more… Read More »
What Is the Effect of an Unrecorded Deed?
A deed is a legal document used to transfer real property ownership rights from one person or entity (the grantor) to another (the grantee). In many cases, this transfer occurs due to the property being sold, with the seller transferring the property to the buyer. Typically, a deed is recorded with the local county… Read More »
Legal Perils of Gift and Joint Ownership between Unmarried Couples
Cohabitation without marriage is becoming more common in the United States. Among eighteen- to forty-four-year-olds, the percentage of adults who have lived with an unmarried partner at some point is now higher than the percentage of adults who have been married. When you live with a romantic partner, it may feel as though you… Read More »
Estate Planning and Divorce: Key Considerations
Getting a divorce is seldom an easy process. It is emotional and stressful. There are many factors to consider that may also change over time. For younger couples, children are likely a top concern. For older couples, a long-term home, inherited assets, retirement plans, trusts, and estate plans may be significant concerns. If you… Read More »
Three Celebrity Probate Disasters and Tragic Lessons
One would assume that celebrities with extreme wealth would take steps to protect their estates. But think again: some of the world’s richest and most famous people enter the pearly gates with no estate plan, while others have made estate planning mistakes that tied up their fortunes and heirs in court for years. Let… Read More »
The Pros and Cons of Probate
In estate planning circles, the word “probate” often carries a negative connotation. Indeed, for many people—especially those with valuable accounts and property—financial planners recommend trying to keep accounts and property out of probate whenever possible. That being said, the probate system was ultimately established to protect the deceased’s accounts and property as well as… Read More »
3 Reasons to Avoid Probate
When you pass away, your family may need to sign certain documents as part of a probate process in order to claim their inheritance. This can happen if you own property (like a house, car, bank account, investment account, or other asset) in your name only and you have not completed a beneficiary, pay-on-death,… Read More »
Claiming the Guardianship of an Elderly Parent
Often an aging parent will lose their ability to think clearly to make informed and meaningful decisions regarding their life. This growing inability may occur due to Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia, mental illness, stroke, brain injury, or other severe health or disability conditions. In the absence of your parent preparing for their… Read More »
Handling S Corporation Interests in Estate Planning: Electing Small Business Trusts and Qualified Subchapter S Trusts
One of the many challenges of owning a small business is determining the appropriate tax classification of the business. When an individual owns a business entity that is classified either entirely or partially as an S corporation, it is important to seek the guidance of an experienced estate planning attorney and tax advisor when… Read More »
