Many people know of the stories of well known celebrities, such as Prince and Aretha Franklin, who died without a proper estate plan in place. We want to plan for a good life and retirement, but it is important to also plan for a good end of life. Here are…
Let’s say your oldest daughter is a strong-willed and successful accountant, and your son is a high school teacher who is good at managing money and being the family’s peacekeeper. You’re almost done with your estate planning but unsure about which of your children to choose to be the executor…
People often have more digital assets than they realize. What happens to these assets when a person dies? Until recently, every individual site has had its own terms of service that determined who has ownership and access after a death and whether the assets are deleted, frozen or can be…
It can be very difficult to plan for events like aging, incapacitation, and death, but not planning for these events can cause families burden and grief and might also cost family members a significant amount of time and money. It is estimated that over 50% of Americans haven’t created a…
When a second marriage joins two families together, it is often a time for celebration as two families come together and become a new family unit. However, it might also lead to inheritance fights, particularly between stepparents and children. A good estate plan is important to help avoid these quarrels.…
An increasing number of Americans are including pet care in their estate planning. Currently, 67% of U.S. households own at least one pet, and many people now consider long-term planning for them just as important as they would for two-legged family members. Fidelity Investments has tips on its website for…
In life, there are many important milestones. For many people this list of milestones includes graduations, marriage, children, opening a business, and retiring. As we move through life, it is important to plan for the next step as well as to plan for the unexpected. For some people, especially younger…
Retirement means different things to different people in terms of both the experience and the age at which retirement begins, and this life change can cause a wide range of emotions – from fear and anxiety to excitement and joy. During this often emotional time of transition, it is important…
Probate is an important legal mechanism that dictates the distribution of assets after a person’s death, specifically within a probate court and with a probate judge presiding over proceedings. Surviving families and other interested parties usually trigger a probate process to cover issues relating to the deceased individual’s estate settlement.…
The rise of bitcoin as well as other virtual currencies associated with blockchain technology (known as cryptocurrencies) has created a number of new millionaires and raises new questions in the legal community when it comes to addressing cryptocurrencies in estate plans. The Internal Revenue Service classifies cryptocurrencies as property for…