One of the most popular questions that I get from potential clients is what’s the difference between a will and a trust. Most articles on this topics, however, often presume that everyone knows the basics of these essential documents. But,…
If you’ve been appointed an executor of a loved one’s estate or a successor trustee, and that person dies, your grief – not to mention your to-do list, including tasks ranging from planning the funeral, coordinating relatives coming in from…
As Ambrose Bierce once darkly observed, “Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.” Obviously, ideally, when someone passes away, the paperwork and material concerns associated with the estate are so flawlessly handled (thanks to excellent…
When you pass away, your family may need to visit a probate court in order to claim their inheritance. This can happen if you own property (like a house, car, bank account, investment account, or other asset) in only…
The word “probate” often comes with a starkly negative connotation. Financial planners often recommend trying to keep property out of probate no matter the size of your estate. However, the probate system was ultimately established to protect the property of the…
The bad news: probated estates are subject to a variety of costs from attorneys, executors, appraisers, accountants, courts, and state law. Depending on the probate’s complexity, fees can run into tens of thousands of dollars. The good news: probate costs…