Sometimes beneficiaries end up not receiving their assets. Beneficiaries often lose out because the estate planning wasn’t done properly, but sometimes another family member contests the decedent’s will.
So, you’ve decided that a family member won’t be getting an inheritance, after all. Maybe you have an ungrateful or irresponsible family member you want to cut out of the will.
I have settled my mother’s estate and sent the final accounting paperwork to my three siblings. Two have signed off on the bond paperwork but my one brother is nitpicking the statements, asking for invoices for the lawyer, the CPA, etc. Can I send the other two their share of the inheritance or do I need to wait until everyone signs off?
Probate and trust administration are not the same. There are important differences and similarities between administering a decedent’s probate estate and administering a decedent’s trust estate.
Parents should make sure they have arrangements in place for the care of their minor-aged children, when planning their estates…
It can be hard to move through your daily life after someone you love dies. It may be even harder to embark on the complex tasks required to put their financial affairs in order. However, you can’t afford to put that off.
Charitable giving comes in many forms. Some people donate annually to their favorite charities, while others may volunteer their time or professional services.
Eighty-five million families in the United States own at least one pet. That’s 68% of the population. How many of those owners have a plan for what would happen to their pet, if they themselves met with a crisis, had a lengthy hospitalization, or died?
If you pass away with no will, a state court may decide who gets your assets and — if you have children — who will care for them.
In today’s digital age, in which seemingly anything that matters is stored virtually in the cloud, a physical safe deposit box comes across as a relic of the bricks-and-mortar past. However, don’t be too hasty to dismiss the importance of keeping certain valuables securely tucked away in your bank’s vault.
