Estate planning is the management of assets for their eventual reallocation after death. Under most circumstances, we can’t take the things we own to the grave – or at least, we can take very little to the grave. You might request to be buried in your car, for example – but most assets (and properties,
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The probate process is a step-by-step administration of a person’s estate or the assets and belongings they leave after death. Most probate courts also legitimize and assign an executor to a person’s last will and testament, tasking them with managing, evaluating, and distributing a decedent’s belongings after taking care of their final debts and financial
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Most divorce cases take months, if not years, to resolve. And when they do finally end, you will be left with a stack of important documents – some of which seemingly, and confusingly, fulfill a similar purpose. One of these documents is your final decree of divorce. This is a so-called court document, which means
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Estate plans and many of the basic legal terms ascribed to them date back to the archaic early days of English probate law, from Judeo-Christian primogeniture to the Wills Act of 1837. Since then, the basic principles of estate planning have barely changed, and while some terms are newer than others, most of them remain
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Take the time to find and hire a professional and respected estate planning attorney in your area. In the long run, you and your family will be glad you did. Learn about these specialized attorneys can help you. Estate planning affairs could be considered some of the least pressing for most Americans – we generally
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Because probate records are public court filings, anyone can obtain a copy of it. With modern technology comes the ability to locate such information, and in most cases for free. If you are interested in gaining access to a deceased person’s will, or a summary of their estate, then you may be surprised to find
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When a person dies, their estate must be properly accounted for, valued, and distributed. While the dead can take some of their possessions with them to the grave, most of what they own must be distributed among the living, creditors, beneficiaries, or the state. The individual in charge of overseeing this process and ensuring that
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Sometimes, estate planning is about finding ways to ensure that the wealth you leave behind for your loved ones will last if possible. This is especially important for those worried that their estate may be diminished by creditors or even heirs who are not equipped with the means nor knowledge to use their bequeathment wisely
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Wills and estate plans are the last things anyone wants to think about after a death in the family. Still, when a loved one dies, the process for distributing their belongings becomes an important step towards final closure, both in the personal and legal sense. All states require that a probate court oversees the distribution
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A trust is a legal vehicle for holding assets and property “in trust” for another person. Trusts have three basic elements to them – the trustor, the trustee, and the beneficiary. The trustor is also called the grantor and is the creator of the trust whose assets and property are funded into the trust. Due
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