Estate administration can feel like an overwhelming task that might take a year or longer for you as an executor to complete. Instead of viewing the process as an interminable series of responsibilities and stressors, you might benefit from breaking it down into a...
Many people want to take the most basic approach possible to estate planning. As such, they often believe that a will can do everything necessary to address their property and assets. Unfortunately, there are times when a will is not enough to protect and distribute...
Your spouse has always maintained the home and cared for the children while you concentrated on building your assets or creating your business -- and the arrangement is exactly what you want it to be. What happens, however, if you pass away? Planning for your...
Sharing finances is one of the cornerstones of marriage. You share your income and pool your resources to achieve the best standard of living possible for your family. Given that you manage most everything together, you might take for granted that your spouse will...
Many people work hard to help their loved ones during their final years, and a few of those people shockingly find that they’ve been removed from their parent or loved one’s will. Getting disinherited can be hurtful and surprising. You may also suspect that it was...
Whenever you hit a major "milestone" event in your life, it's a good idea to review your estate plans and update them. It's also a good idea to do so when you go through something unfortunate, like a divorce. There are many reasons why you should do this. Your former...
It's a big responsibility to be appointed the executor of a loved one's estate. You have many obligations in your role. One of those is to pay any taxes associated with the deceased or their estate. There are differences between the types of taxes you may need to...
The executor of an estate has many responsibilities, known as their fiduciary duties. An executor must always act in accordance with the deceased's wishes, and for the benefit of the estate and its heirs. It's important to understand the role the executor plays in...
In some families, fighting seems to be the way that siblings relate to one another. If your children have squabbled their entire lives, you likely wish for nothing more than their happiness and to see them have a positive relationship. You probably hate the idea that...
You’ve worked for your money for a long time. Now you’re getting close to retirement age, and you’re starting to wonder what will happen to that money when you pass away. Is it time to write a will? ideally, you will already have a will in place that may only need...