Your elderly relative has always been caring and compassionate. They’ve provided help for you and other family members whenever it has been needed, and they intend to do the same when they pass. An estate plan allows your loved one to do exactly this, through a will,...
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...
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...
It may be calming to know that the deceased has put their estate in the hands of a worthy executor. This executor is presumably chosen because they are trusted and respected by the deceased. The role of an executor helps ensure the deceased’s estates are protected and...
When others in your family have a complaint about your loved one’s will or general estate plan after their death, it puts you in a difficult position as the executor. You need to do what you can to distribute the state according to your loved one’s wishes, but you can...
While the majority of people are naturally devastated when a loved one passes on, this is not always the case for some folks. It is not unusual for some individuals to see an opportunity and attempt to reap where they did not sow by helping themselves to the deceased...
Debt has a way of accruing quickly, especially when someone has limited income. Older adults are at particularly high risk for acquiring more debt than they have any means of repaying. Once someone retires, they may have a fixed income based on a pension or Social...
Often, the process of probate can be time-consuming and stressful for those involved. Parties can find disputes within the process an overwhelming experience. However, many of the trying factors in probate proceedings can be the result of misconceptions. Identifying...
Working through grief following the death of a loved one is never easy. If the deceased appointed you to be the executor of their estate, it means that they are counting on you to be able to execute their estate plan according to their wishes. However, the probate...
Payable-on-death designations are used on all kinds of financial accounts, including savings and checking accounts. They provide an easy (and immediate) way for money to transfer to someone else as soon as the owner of the account passes away. But a payable-on-death...
