Sharing ownership of your home with your child to avoid probate is still a bad idea. Joint tenancy of your home with your child quickly becomes a bad idea when the child has a creditor who can attach the home to pay off the child’s debts, according to the Napa Valley Register in “Can new […]

An estate sale is a good way to get rid of unwanted items. However, sometimes things end up badly. Colorado police filed a report about an estate sale that went badly but the case was dropped for lack of suspects, according to Fox News in “Colorado house ransacked after estate sale mix-up.” The incident, which turned […]

It has been nearly impossible for the family of the deceased to gain access to digital accounts in the past. However, there is some progress. In response to the problem of digital accounts of the deceased being accessed for an estate, some state legislators have slowly been passing new laws to permit access to digital accounts […]

The wishes you have expressed in a medical directive don’t do any good if no one knows about them. The system of medical records used in the U.S. does not make it easy for doctors to know that you have a medical directive and that you have expressed your wishes ahead of time, according to […]

Some estate battles are predictable and quite costly to both finances and family. If the main instrument used to distribute an estate is a will that has to go through probate, the legal issues can often lead to huge battles that could be avoided by using a trust, according to the Times Herald-Record in “Trusts […]

A trust is a good estate planning tool. However, it is not necessarily for everyone and every plan. Despite extensive advertising by non-attorneys selling trusts, the real fact is that not everyone needs one. If they do need a trust, there are many important decisions that need to be made to avoid a disaster. There […]

There are many false impressions out there about creating an estate plan. However, it actually does not have to be challenging. Estate planning does not have to be difficult to accomplish, according to The New York Times in “What It Was Like To Finally Write My Will.” The author of the piece discovered that creating his […]

The traditional methods for burial of remains are still in place. However, there are also “green” options. Different cultures are beginning to rethink the process of funerals for people. Some are turning to an “environmentally friendly” way, according to The New York Times in “Thinking About Having a ‘Green’ Funeral? Here’s What to Know.” A […]

Creating a plan for distribution of assets is practical. If you do not have children, it isn’t possible to follow the standard practice of caring for your spouse and your offspring when considering an estate plan. Exploring the options when childless requires a bit more thinking, according to The New York Times in “If You […]

Avoiding the thought of death is relatively standard in humans. However, it may not be the right course. We do not generally dwell on the thought of death, we avoid making estate plans and we are often not prepared for the reality of death when it happens, according to The New York Times in “New […]