You need to make the decision to create an estate plan and then you need to gather facts. In order to create an estate plan, there are certain steps you need to take in order to organize your affairs, according to The Daily Courier in “I’m dead. Now What?”. These steps include: Gathering all your […]

Two institutions fought over rights to his journals, notes and letters. After a heated dispute, the Ransom Center matched Yale University’s $2.7 million offer to archive Arthur Miller’s work, according to The New York Times in “Inside the Battle for Arthur Miller’s Archive.” Miller, who died in 2003, had a close relationship with the Harry […]

You can go to North Korea. However, the State Department has some advice. The State Department has recommended that American citizens get a will, make funeral plans and get a power of attorney before visiting North Korea, according to Fox News in “Visiting North Korea? Draft a will and make funeral plans, State Department says.” […]

Perhaps this is the year that you will make those plans. A good New Year’s resolution might be to finally get an estate plan, according to the Virginian-Pilot in “Make estate planning a priority this year.” Many Americans have a tendency to put off planning for their estates. They believe that they will always have […]

As the elderly population grows, so does the number of scammers targeting them. There are all sorts of scams that target the elderly, ranging from large ones meant to make millions to very small scams meant to cheat an elderly person out of a few hundred dollars. If you know someone who has been a […]

What should be done ahead of time, if family members do not get along? The issue of blended families and dealing with trust issues while estate planning, was recently discussed in a Market Watch advice column titled “My mother-in-law is deceitful — can we stop her from stealing my wife’s inheritance?“. In this particular case, […]

What is best for your estate plan under the current political climate? A good estate plan does not work in a vacuum, but avoids generalizations about tax laws and creates a unique plan that will work for your family. The recently passed tax law creates a challenge, according to  Financial Planning in “Avoid ‘dangerous’ planning […]

Even if your estate is small, you should consider a living trust. The probate process is very different, depending on your state of residency. That should be considered when creating an estate plan, according to the Los Angeles Times in “Why setting up a living trust may be wise, especially in California.” In some states, […]

Just what does an estate plan give you and your family? Many people do not think carefully about the laws of intestate succession and how their assets would be distributed, so an estate plan can be really beneficial, according to an Investopedia article in “Leaving a Legacy: Why You Need An Estate Plan.” The discussion […]

Without guidelines, the responsibilities of maintaining property by a life tenant can grow into big problems. Giving a person life tenant rights can be a good way to avoid some family conflicts and make sure that property stays in the family.  However, it can also create different conflicts, according to the Edinburg Review in “Designate […]