Choosing Your Trustee
One of the biggest decisions you will make when creating your Living Trust is choosing who will be your Trustee. Learn more about the factors you should consider when choosing a competent trustee of your estate.
Grandma’s Wedding Ring
Unlike financial assets, which can generally be divided easily among your children or grand-children, tangible personal property, like a wedding ring, is unique. Families fight over everything from ownership of a valuable painting, to a grandfather clock, to Dad’s gun collection, to who gets Grandma’s wedding ring.
The Pros and Cons of Probate
The word “probate” often causes a severely negative reaction. For many people — especially those with large estates — estate planning attorneys recommend keeping property out of probate whenever possible. The probate system was ultimately established to protect property, and protect those people entitled to inherit it. In a few cases, probate may even work to an advantage.
How to Avoid Probate
It is very important to avoid probate. You may think that a Last Will avoids probate after you pass away – but it does not. Everyone pictures a scene out of a movie where the executor reads the Will to the family, and then everyone gets their inheritance. It is never that simple!
Top Ten Reasons to Create an Estate Plan
Given the complexities of most estate plans, you’ll want to work with a qualified estate planning attorney. You may also find it helpful to work with other professionals, such as a financial planner, an insurance agent, or an accountant. But your attorney should always be the one who prepares your estate planning documents.
Last Will vs. Living Trust
Should you create a last will or a living trust? In determining if you should create a last will or a living trust, it is important to understand what happens after you pass away, including the legal considerations, the role of your executor, and the distribution of your specific assets.
What is an Advance Health Care Directive?
A document that I often prepare for my clients as an essential part of their estate plan is the Advance Health Care Directive. This document is important so your wishes regarding medical decisions and end-of-life decisions will be known to your loved ones and medical providers.
What is a Durable Power of Attorney?
A durable power of attorney allows your property and financial affairs to be managed the way you want in the event you become incapacitated.
What is a Pourover Will?
A pourover will is a will used in connection with a trust. A pourover will is like any other will, except that the primary beneficiary is your living trust.
Successor Trustees
One of the biggest decisions you will make when creating your living trust is choosing your successor trustee. I always tell my clients it is important to select a successor trustee they count on, as that person will ultimately be responsible for protecting and distributing your assets to your loved ones.