Category: Probate
Some simple planning can help avoid the surging of emotions as families deal with an estate. Rising emotions can often cause problems when administrating an estate plan but some practical advice is offered by St. Louis Public Radio in “Four things to know about estate planning that could help you avoid fights with your family.” […]
The IRA requires that a final tax return be filed after a person dies and there can be complications. When a person dies the IRS will collect any tax due from the first of the year to the date of death and that requires an income tax return be filed. US News & World Report […]
There are a number of options as well as legal requirements if you inherit a home. It can sometimes be a challenge if you inherit a home and already own your own. The Huffington Post recently discussed those challenges and opportunities in “5 Questions to Ask When Inheriting a House.” The suggested questions to consider […]
Stock can be transferred after you pass away and it can be a simple process. The transfer of stocks after you pass away is not only possible but relatively simple if the rules are known and that is important when preparing an estate plan. Recently, the Motley Fool discussed the possibilities in “What Happens to […]
Registering a deed after the original owner passes away is risky. Probate can sometimes be avoided by using joint ownership so when the parents pass away the property automatically transfers to the children. There are drawbacks to the “do it yourself” estate planning approach. For starters, when the children are added as joint owners the […]
A family member may not always be interested in taking on the job of being an executor and administering the estate. Since people usually like appointing an executor that they know and trust, they often name a family member or friend to the post. Sometimes when those appointed as executors are informed of the decision, […]
One way to become a suspect in a murder case is to submit a previously unknown will that names you as the sole heir of the deceased. Jake Clyde Merendino, a wealthy man after an inheritance from his parents and the success of a business of his own, traveled a great deal and collected art. […]
Many websites now exist where an estate plan can be stored online, but a word of caution on storing a valuable plan in the cloud. A new trend in the world of estate planning was reported in a recent article in U.S. News and World Report, “Passwords and Powers of Attorney: Your Digital Estate Planning […]
The competency of Sumner Redstone, who owns a controlling interest in both Viacom and CBS, is being questioned as an ex-girlfriend files an application in probate court to have him declared incompetent. There is considerable disagreement on whether the ex-girlfriend of 92-year-old Sumner Redstone is after his money or out to help her long-time companion […]
A Texas case ends up in criminal charges when a will to probate is rejected by the court. Eight days before wealthy Dallas business woman Mary Ellen Bendtsen passed away in 2005, a will was executed that left her entire estate to two antique dealers. One of the dealers submitted the will to probate the […]
