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How to Prepare for Your First Meeting with an Estate Planning Lawyer
You’ve finally committed yourself to establishing an estate plan and have set up a meeting with an attorney. Great! But how do you prepare for that first meeting and what information should you bring with you? Below is a brief overview of what you should do to prepare so that your meeting goes as smoothly […]
Transferring Stocks Into Your Trusts
If you desire, you do have the option of transferring stocks and other securities into your trust. It is important, however, that you follow all state and federal laws, along with all requirements put forth by the issuer of the stock. It is highly recommended you work with an attorney during this process. To move […]
What Happens to Digital Assets and Accounts After Your Death?
The ubiquity of the internet and internet-connected devices has led to many people living a good portion of their lives online through various social media platforms, message boards and other types of accounts. These accounts and profiles are legally considered assets of the person who owns and controls them. But what happens to these digital […]
What Happens to Bank Account Funds After You Die?
No matter how well you plan for the future, it is a near certainty that there will be money left in your bank account(s) after you pass away. What happens to those funds? This primarily depends on the type of account you had and how it was owned. Solely owned account If you were the […]
6 Basic Tips for Estate Planning Success
Are you new to the concept of estate planning? You may have a lot of questions about what the process entails and what the best strategies are for you to be successful. Below are a few very basic tips we like to give to estate planning beginners who have just started working with our attorneys: […]
How to Deal With Stepchildren in Your Will
You can leave behind assets to stepchildren just as you would anyone else, by naming the assets you want them to receive in your will. However, stepchildren do not have any legal right to an inheritance unless you legally adopt them. Therefore, if you do not wish to leave any assets to your stepchildren, you […]
Do Life Insurance Proceeds Go Through the Probate Process?
In most circumstances, life insurance payouts do not go through probate. As long as you have your beneficiary designations in order, there should not be any issue with your chosen beneficiaries getting the money they are owed after you pass. However, you may need to conduct some extra planning if you will potentially owe estate […]
How Does Durable Financial Power of Attorney Work?
A durable power attorney for finances is an estate planning tool used to cover your financial matters. It is usually intended to be used in the event you become unable to make your own decisions. This typically occurs when you become incapacitated for health reasons. In most cases, the person granted durable financial power of […]
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Living Trusts
Living trusts can be highly useful estate planning tools for people in all types of financial situations. Below are answers to some of the questions we most frequently receive about these trusts. Q: Why is a living trust beneficial for my estate plan? One advantage associated with a living trust is that any property you […]
What You Need to Know About Medicaid Asset Transfer Rules
There are several key requirements you must fulfill to qualify for Medicaid benefits. One of these requirements is that you must not have recently transferred any assets, over a certain value threshold. The reason for this is that the federal government believes it is unfair for wealthy people or simply people who would not qualify […]