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...
People with many different relationships can want to help a ward or vulnerable person. Parents, both biological and adoptive, serve as the legal guardian for their children while they are still young. Adults with special needs and those experiencing cognitive decline...
In New York, estates are settled through probate by an executor, who is named in the will or estate plan. If there is no executor, or the named executor is unable to serve, the estate can be probated by an administrator, typically a professional, who is appointed by...
Deciding to make a last will and testament is a big step, but the process of drafting this document will involve making several more decisions along the way. One of those decisions involves choosing a person or entity to be the executor of your will. The executor of...
If a loved one died and appointed an executor that you do not believe is up to the task, it can be difficult to speak up. However, as a beneficiary you have a right to contest the choice of executor in order to protect the estate. The importance of the right choice An...
Unlike what movies and TV would have you believe, the administration of an estate does not occur immediately after someone passes on. Typically, a trustee does not begin handling a trust until after the funeral and memorial arrangements. Trusts can stipulate assets...
Guardianship is a legal relationship that more and more Americans are likely to need as they get older. A legal guardian is a person who has been granted the power to make personal decisions on behalf of another (known as the ward). A similar relationship known as a...
Choosing an executor as part of your will is an often overlooked step. People naturally choose the oldest child or a sibling they are close to. They often fail to account for the reality of the role of executor. If you have never been in that position yourself, it is...
Some of the terminology surrounding estate planning can be confusing. However, most of the terms you hear can be explained quite easily. Fiduciary is one such term and it simply means a person who has the responsibility of administering an estate for someone who has...
The heirs of Miles Davis have been working to guard his legacy for years. It's not something the former music legend was explicit about, said Davis' son. The son said Davis trusted all of his heirs, and they believe he would want them to safeguard his music and other...
