When someone is unable to manage his or her own affairs – often due to illness or older age – family members may seek court intervention to appoint a conservator or guardian. The court-appointed individual makes financial decisions on behalf of the incapacitated person. The same person (or sometimes someone different, also appointed by the court) takes over control of everyday matters, including medical decisions. These living probate proceedings are public, time-consuming, and expensive.
Category Archives: Estates
04
Jan
Jan
Although a large amount of her wealth came from her marriage to the late billionaire financier Richard C. Blum, Senator Feinstein was also successful in her own right. During their marriage, Feinstein and Blum established a marital trust that is now the subject of a fierce legal battle between Feinstein’s daughter and Blum’s three daughters.
15
Dec
Dec
As trust beneficiaries die and younger generations become the new heirs, vague provisions or outright mistakes in the original trust agreement may become apparent. Decanting can be used to correct these problems.
11
Nov
Nov
Some state laws are complex and hard to understand, and you may not know enough specifics to offer the correct information about your situation or verify that AI has properly generated or created your will or trust. Additionally, your final documents may contain wording, formatting, and grammatical errors that make them unenforceable.
Assets, Estate Planning, Estates, Probate
Spousal Communication: 4 Things To Tell Your Spouse Before You Die
08
Sep
Sep
When one spouse is the “money person” in the relationship, it can create issues in both life and death. To avoid unnecessary stress, couples need to ensure that they are on the same page. For day-to-day finances, this can mean regular check-ins about charges, expenditures, and budgeting. About estate planning, couples should keep each other informed about the location of important documents such as the following:
09
Jun
Jun
Seek out resources if you lost your job through no fault of your own. Some employers offer severance packages. And in many cases, you could collect unemployment benefits. Depending on state law and your former employer’s policy, a payout of accrued vacation and sick leave may fund source of liquidity to sustain you for a while.
05
May
May
When creating your estate plan, decide who to assign as your beneficiaries. These are the individuals who will inherit your money and property when you pass away. Beneficiaries often include a spouse or partner, children and stepchildren, grandchildren, other relatives, friends, charitable organizations, and/or a church.
21
Apr
Apr
Who would care for your pet if you die or somehow face incapacitation? Would your survivors know how to give your pet the same level of care you provide? A good way to ensure your pet is well cared for if something happens to you is to create a pet trust.
14
Apr
Apr
Complex probate processes can be costly and take years to finalize, which is why many individuals retain an estate planning attorney to minimize probate proceedings.
10
Mar
Mar
Loneliness is feeling sad about a lack of human connections and interactions. While social isolation may make most people feel lonely, loneliness is not the same as being alone. However, not everyone who lives alone feels lonely. What’s more, not all people who feel lonely live alone. People of any age may feel lonely, but the condition is especially common in seniors.