Has someone in your family informed you that you’re a successor trustee? Are you thinking you might never be needed in this role because the primary person serving in it intends to stay there for the long haul?  The primary trustee is the person with the first authority to serve in the role of trustee, […]

A personal representative appointed to manage an estate or an executor named in the will by the person who passed away has many different responsibilities in closing out estate administration.  One of these includes giving notice to creditors of the estate and taking a formal inventory of the property inside it. Written notice must be […]

Have you remembered to include a personal collection of items in your estate planning? Whether it’s art, coins, stamps, or something else altogether, you’ll make things much easier for your loved ones and ensure that your collection gift is meaningful.  If your collection has in any way accumulated or appreciated in value and you decide […]

You might take steps to list everything you can inside your estate, but it’s still possible to leave items out. When you’re working to help administer someone else’s estate or thinking ahead about your own, it could be the case that not every asset is accounted for in a trust or a will.  Some assets […]

The end of the year is the perfect time for reflection. If this year didn’t add up to all you’d hoped it would be and you want to start off on a better foot in the New Year, there are at least four goals you can’t afford to miss on your list. Start by looking […]

Getting together for the holidays or to celebrate the new year gives you a great opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones. But if one of the things on your to-do list this year is to discuss estate planning arrangements, you might be concerned about the possibility for conflict. The good news is that there […]

Deciding to disinherit someone in your family is fraught with emotional considerations and concerns. Wondering whether or not you should inform the family member about your intention to exclude them from your estate planning can be a very difficult question to answer and one that you should discuss directly with your estate planning lawyer.An estate […]

Do you know how to decide whether or not you need a trust, a will, or both? Most people partner with an experienced estate planning lawyer when putting together their strategy for their estate. A lawyer can help you review existing estate planning documents and help you decide what assets will be passed through a […]

Far too many Americans overlook the potential benefits of estate planning because they believe it’s too difficult, not necessary for their specific situation or too expensive. But there can be major costs to ignoring components of your estate plan. Most people are familiar with the benefits afforded by a will, but a new study shows […]

Have you thought about using various estate planning strategies, such as a trust, to establish some level of control and clarity during your estate planning process? The establishment of a family trust might be one specific way in which you intend to accomplish this goal.  There are several different key players involved in the establishment […]