It seems like more and more families are paying for loved ones’ funerals by starting GoFundMe campaigns. Even a modest service can run into thousands of dollars. Not everyone can just put that on a credit card and wait until the deceased person’s estate is settled to...
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Your options after being left out of a will
You can never be too sure about the actual contents of a will until it is unveiled during probate. Therefore, it may come as a shocker when you discover that you are not among the beneficiaries of your loved one’s estate, contrary to your expectations. Given that your...
Are there any advantages to probate?
Probate often gets a bad rap. After all, if someone creates a will — or lacks an estate plan overall — their assets go through probate court. That means the testator’s privacy will be compromised. Plus, the process can take years and lots of money to ensure validity....
2 times estate plans need to be reviewed
You should ideally pull a copy of your estate plan out of the drawer annually. The New Year is an excellent occasion to do this, as it is an easy date to remember. Yet some life events are important enough to require a revision no matter the time of year. Here are two...
The times to replace and take legal action against an executor
As your father’s estate goes through probate, something strikes you and other beneficiaries that things are not going so smoothly. Obstacles have surfaced and questions are not answered. What is at the root of this? Well, it turns out that the executor of your...
Concerns about fraud could be a reason to contest a will
Typically, the documents someone leaves behind when they die will determine what happens to their property and the people who depend on them, but sometimes those documents aren't valid. Allegations of fraud can lead to challenges against someone's estate plan. Often,...
Should you include a DNR in an estate plan?
A DNR, or a “do not resuscitate” order, tells medical professionals not to give someone treatment designed to restart their heart or get them breathing again, should either of those processes stop. The person simply wants attempted life-saving care before this point,...
Does your estate have to go through probate in New York?
When you die, any assets you own will be distributed to your beneficiaries per your wishes through the New York probate process. Unfortunately, probate is complicated, lengthy and expensive. However, it may be possible to circumvent the entire probate process. To...
3 reasons to use a guardianship
One part of estate planning is setting up a guardianship. This is a legal agreement that gives one person the ability to make decisions for someone else. That person is said to be the guardian of the other individual, who needs assistance with those decisions. The...
How to help your kids be smart about money before they inherit
As you begin to think about your estate plan, you’re pleased that you’ll be able to leave your children – and by extension your grandchildren – a considerable amount of money that can help ensure they’ll never have financial worries. However, you’ve heard enough...