Schedule movers. Update your mailing address. Update your driver’s license. Update your vehicle tags. Does this sound familiar? If so, it is likely you just moved and it reads like part of your moving to-do list. While these are all important matters to check off, there is an often overlooked, but very important item, that…
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The Importance of Having a Durable Power of Attorney in Place for Aging Parents
As we age, our needs change. Sometimes, they change slowly and progress over time. Other times, our aging loved ones needs advance quickly and they need more assistance right away. In either case, having a comprehensive estate plan in place that includes important legal tools for protecting your aging loved one and his or her…
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How Is Property Transferred at Death?
What happens to your property after you die? Well, that really depends on what plans, or lack thereof, you have in place for it. Without any planning, your property will be distributed to your heirs according to the state’s intestacy laws. To die intestate means to pass away without a will. Generally speaking, your property…
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I’m Not Rich. Do I Need an Estate Plan?
“Why would I estate plan if I don’t have anything of value?” You may have heard this as a common reason people give in regard to why they do not have an estate plan in place. Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that estate planning is only for the wealthy. This is a dangerous misconception…
Continue reading…What Does It Mean to Die Intestate?
Is estate planning on your to-do list? Is it one of those things that keeps getting put off longer and longer because life always seems to get in the way? We get it. Life gets busy. It is also filled with unexpected happenings. This is, however, exactly one of the best reasons to move estate…
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What You Need to Know About the Bernie Sanders Estate Tax Bill
Have you heard about the estate tax bill Senator Bernie Sanders proposed to Congress back in March of this year? While it hasn’t passed yet, if it does, it will go into effect at the end of the year and can have substantial impacts for many Americans. The serious changes proposed by the bill should…
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What Is the Elective Share?
There are certain laws relating to estate planning that may not be widely known about but are, nonetheless important and can have big impacts on how an estate plan actually ends up playing out. Elective share laws are some such laws. Here, we will go into more detail about what an elective share actually is…
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DIY Estate Planning Dangers
You have been putting off estate planning for years. Somehow it always falls to the bottom of your to-do list. An ad pops up on your computer for a DIY estate planning service. For a low fee, all you need to do is fill in some forms and, in minutes, you have that lingering to-do…
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What Is a Spendthrift Trust?
Do you worry about the best way to provide for your loved ones after you pass away? You are certainly not alone in this. Sometimes, providing for loved ones through an estate plan is not as simple as leaving behind a lump sum inheritance. Some people, for a variety of reasons, may not be best…
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What Should You include in Your Living Will?
A will is often a prominent feature in an estate plan. Lesser known, but still very important in estate planning, is a living will. A living will and a will are two very different legal tools. Their similarities seemingly end at their names and the fact that both should be included in a strong, comprehensive…
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