Ideally, after someone dies, the family will access the will, and the executor will carry out the wishes the deceased laid out in it. Yet, sometimes no will is forthcoming. What then? Make sure you have looked everywhere If you believe your loved one made a will, then...
We live in a very litigious society. A will that is meant to take the guesswork out of the picture regarding what you want to happen to your estate when you die can become the subject of a costly legal battle. There are legitimate grounds upon which a will can be...
Most people give a lot of thought to whom they appoint as a trustee. Despite this, some trustees turn out to be dishonest and see their position as a means to make money. Some may do so because that’s how they always are. Others do it because they find themselves in a...
There are several ways that people can legally specify to whom they wish to leave particular assets. While a will is the best known and most commonly used of these options, it is not necessarily the strongest. One situation where problems can occur is when a person...
Some suspicious names surfaced as beneficiaries to your father’s estate. You suspect dishonesty and forgery are behind it. Someone took advantage of your vulnerable father and is attempting to steal your inheritance. As long as you have an interest in the estate, you...
If you spent a lot of time with a parent or grandparent that has since died, you might know how they wanted to distribute their assets. You also know they left a will detailing these wishes. What if another beneficiary contests the will based on the alleged mental...
People can create a will any time after they become legal adults and generally retain the authority to do so until they lose their testamentary capacity. Often, those who create wills discuss them with family members so that people know what to expect. When someone...
Wills are one of the most straightforward and transparent estate planning tools. They spell out what assets the deceased left and how they wanted them to be distributed. If you see someone getting something you thought you would inherit, you may be able to file a...
You may have read about people contesting their loved ones’ wills after they passed away or about the risk of undue influence changing a person’s will later in life. As a result, you might want to look into anything you can do to prevent those issues in your own...
If you believe your loved one’s will doesn’t reflect their true wishes, you may want to contest it. While this is a legal right that you have, you have to consider whether or not it’s a smart move. For situations where you truly believe the will is not fair or based...
