Your estate plan is largely a reflection of your values and your relationships. Your wishes may change when your relationships with different family members evolve over time. You may need to add more information to your estate plan as you acquire new property or add...
Estate Planning
Can you prevent your family from challenging your will?
Your will should include the terms and conditions that matter most to you regarding the distribution of your property after you die. From providing the most valuable assets to your most valuable family members to carefully designating certain property to specific...
When cognitive decline can invalidate estate plans
Estate planning should start at a relatively young age, particularly if you have children. Wills should be updated after each major life event, such as the birth of children or grandchildren, divorce and the death of benefactors or an executor. There are instances...
When should you update your estate plan?
Your estate plan provides instructions about what you want to happen with your assets after you die. It also includes provisions for what happens if you become incapacitated. All terms are set based on your circumstances when the plan is created. For most adults,...
Does your estate plan require that you choose a remainderman?
Your largest and most valuable assets and your most significant financial liabilities will likely dominate the estate planning process. The same is true of making arrangements to provide for your closest and most dependent family members, like a spouse or a child....
How a special needs trust helps a child during your life
Funding a trust can give you peace of mind after your child's diagnosis with a permanent condition like Down syndrome or a brain injury from a car crash. A special needs trust helps ensure that your child will have the necessary supports to live a safe and comfortable...
Creating an estate plan is easier with your attorney’s help
Many people put off starting their estate plans because they believe that it will take too long or be too complicated. The truth is that it can be easy to put together an estate plan. There is a simple, straightforward method for handling estates of all sizes, and...
What you risk by adding your life insurance to your will
Your life insurance policy benefits the people who depend on you, such as your spouse or your children. The more dependents you have and the younger they are, the more life insurance coverage you may require for their protection. Your insurance will be an important...
How is real estate handled in estate planning?
While you’re working on your estate plan, one of the major topics that will come up is what to do with your real estate. There are a few different ways that you can handle real estate in your estate plan. You can will it away to a beneficiary, set it up in a trust or...
The greatest flexibility comes with a discretionary trust
There are many different types of trust you can use as you do your estate planning. You may want to choose things that are important to you. For instance, educational trusts are very common, as they set aside money that heirs are only allowed to use for college...