You can only disinherit someone who would’ve expected to be in your estate plan in the first place. You can add other people in – like a coworker or a family friend – but leaving them out isn’t disinheriting them. They never should have assumed they would get anything...
Estate planning is most commonly associated with the distribution of assets upon a person’s death. While this is a fundamental aspect of the process, there are also other elements that comprise a basic estate plan. A Power of Attorney (POA) is a designation that...
Estate planning allows you to protect your loved ones when you die. They can inherit your assets, allowing them to have a comfortable standard of living while preserving your legacy. Unfortunately, this may not happen. Research shows that a significant percentage of...
When you’re leaving assets to an heir, you don’t have to list those assets in your will. You don’t even have to give them to your heir immediately upon your own passing. An alternative may be to put those assets into a trust, instead. The exact benefits that you see...
The internet seems to have the answers for everything. But, over the last few years, there’s been a lot of misinformation running ramped on the web. Because of that, if you’re looking to make an estate plan, you may be led down the wrong path. Here are a few myths...
An advance healthcare directive is a legal document that allows you to outline your medical preferences if you become incapacitated and cannot effectively communicate your wishes. It is often referred to as a living will because it is implemented when you are still...
There are a lot of misconceptions about whether people who are not U.S. citizens (either by birth or naturalization) can inherit assets from someone who has passed away. Californians who are citizens but are married to someone who hasn’t yet obtained their citizenship...
When a person dies, their debts don’t automatically disappear. Instead, the responsibility for settling the decedent's debts falls on their estate. There are very few exceptions, but loved ones typically don’t have to pay for the debts of someone who passes away....
Estate planning can be complicated. There are so many considerations you’ll need to make that it’s very likely you’ll forget some key details. It’s not uncommon, however, for people to forget to do something with their estate plan. The following are several things to...
It’s not at all uncommon for people to have multiple residences around the country. People may live in one state most of the year, then head to warmer territory and a second home in the winter. Or, they may own vacation homes that they use irregularly throughout the...