The executor will be responsible for initiating the probate proceeding of your will and fulfill the wishes that you expressed in it. Your executor will have a fiduciary duty to your estate, which means they will be held liable if they misuse your assets for their own...
The decision to seek an adult guardian is not taken lightly in New York. When an individual is deemed unable to make decisions regarding their personal life or financial affairs without placing themselves or others in harm’s way, the court will appoint a competent...
Far too often, individuals will take the time to develop a comprehensive estate plan that includes numerous contingencies and financial documents, and assume the plan will never need to be revised in the future. There are numerous significant life events that...
If you have adult children who are heirs to your estate, one thing you may want to consider is having them come to your estate planning meetings with your attorney. You may not want them there at every meeting, but having them attend one to go over the contents of...
People commonly think of trusts and estate planning as something that only the extremely wealthy can benefit from. This false belief may attribute to the fact that more than half of all American adults do not have a will. If planning for what happens when you have...
There are many times when people are told to update their estate plans. However, many of the timelines you see are simply suggestions. There are no specific guidelines that tell you when you have to update your estate plan. It’s a good idea to review it annually or...
Crafting a comprehensive estate plan can be a daunting undertaking. Numerous documents are involved, and a multitude of contingencies must be stipulated. Faced with these challenging circumstances, people are likely to tackle larger issues such as who gets the house,...
Some people need Medicaid even though they might have few assets in their name. Although qualifying for Medicaid as an older adult usually means needing to spend everything you already have on care, you can qualify for benefits even if you own a valuable home. Your...
Creating an estate plan is an important step to take for your family. It gives you many benefits and options, and you get a chance to think about what you want to happen with your assets. It also helps you to avoid a lot of potential problems. Today, let’s look at...
Serving as the executor or administrator of an estate means settling all of the obligations of the deceased person. It also means distributing their assets in compliance with their wishes. Some people become so fixated on that second requirement that they don't fully...
