Estate Planning

You feel blessed and lucky with the birth of your daughter. You almost never expected this day would ever arrive, especially at your age. You are in your late 40s and know that you will have to live a long, long time to experience the many milestones in your...

In tallying your estate along with its assets, you make sure to do a thorough inventory. You want to be precise in knowing what you have and in determining what your beneficiaries will get. However, some people, including you, may not be as thorough as they think....

After a person dies, the person appointed as their estate administrator will be responsible for managing and distributing their property and assets. The administrator of a will is called an executor, and the one for a trust is called a trustee. Both of them have to...

When choosing an executor to your will, you want someone who is level-headed, available and just -- if not more -- financially savvy than you are. These are just some of the important qualities. Others that stand out are reliability and trustworthiness. You want the...

As the beneficiary of a trust, you are grateful to your loved one who had the foresight to create this important estate-planning tool. As a result, you and other beneficiaries may have access to significant assets for the rest of your lives. That will happen, though,...

It’s not a casual endeavor. That is a preliminary point prominently underscored by many commentators addressing challenges to a will during the probate process. “Not everyone can challenge a will,” notes one in-depth analysis of will contests. If the bar for doing so...

While no one wants to think about his or her mortality or how the family will cope after their death, failing to plan for these events can be disastrous while a person is still alive and create confusion and anger for their family later. Fortunately, making vital...

Manipulation and deceit often are key factors behind the undue influence of a person who has created or revised his or her will. And this also marks the moment to challenge a will. Think about what happened when you learned that your father plans to leave a good chunk...

You would be surprised at the number of people who procrastinate when it comes to estate planning. Then again, maybe you will not be when you learn about the stories of high-profile and affluent people who died without having a will or trust. A long list of...

Provisions within a will represent the foundation of this legal document in estate planning. Among the key provisions include naming an executor; naming guardians for minor children; the disposing of assets to beneficiaries; the revocation of previously created wills;...