Legitime laws refer to a collection of different laws in countries with a civil legal system, where every legitimate heir is entitled to a minimum portion of an estate. Legitime laws can be traced to Roman law, and are also known as the forced share, or the legal right share. Under legitime laws, an heir …
What is a bypass trust, and do you need one? Estate planning can take many forms, but at the end of the day, most estate plans boil down to the same purpose: maximizing the sentimental and financial value of your legacy to those you care about the most. A bypass trust is one among a …
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a small fortune or something sentimental – we cherish the things our loved ones leave behind for us, and we want to protect them. Sadly, there is a lot to protect them from. The value and worth of inherited property may be diminished or affected by divorce, taxes, and even …
The majority of employees – over 80 percent – would take certain employee benefits over a pay raise. The value and importance of employer-provided benefits as a bargaining tool in the hiring market, and the power of providing the right non-financial incentives to ensure the comfort and wellbeing of your employees, is higher than ever. …
An estate plan encapsulates all elements utilized to preserve a person’s legacy after death. This includes managing and bequeathing their belongings, anticipating and sidestepping unwanted complications, and developing strategies for unforeseen incapacity or permanent disability. Simply put, an estate plan is composed of several different contingencies and plans of action in the event of certain …
It comes as no surprise to anyone that legal work is hard work – and in many cases, expensive work. The average person does not seek the advice or help of an attorney lightly and wants to be sure that their hard-earned money will be well-spent. As such, a considerable portion of the initial negotiations …
What happens to your financial affairs when you are incapacitated? Who makes important healthcare decisions for you when you’re unresponsive? How are your financial responsibilities, from managing payroll to paying off your debts, managed while you are in a coma? The answer, in most of these situations, is that a court decides for you, directly …
Despite popular opinion, the benefits of estate planning are not limited to the rich and powerful. Taking care of your estate before death not only ensures a quick and painless transition for your loved ones but can avoid unwanted or awkward situations in complex cases, including owning properties in separate states, outdated or misinformed beneficiary …
Prior to the pandemic, only about one in three Americans had a will, let alone another type of estate planning tool. That may be in part because death is an uncomfortable subject – but if you have any assets and any family, it is an important one. When we die, everything we own is distributed …
What we own in life must be divided among the living when we die. It’s one thing to carry our favorite necklace or a wedding ring into the earth, but another to cling to the family home or the vintage convertible. The purpose of a last will and testament is to put a person’s wishes, …