Princess Diana’s last wishes were largely ignored by her family. The executors of her estate, her mother and her sister, successfully petitioned the probate court for a "variance" of the will. To this day their motivation is unclear and the changes to her wishes were kept secret. Could this have been avoided?
Estate disputes highlight the need to be clear about our intentions when it comes to estate planning. A well-drafted will can lead to a lot less heartache for your family.
Not only is creating a will one of the most important things you will ever do, but the way you do it also matters. With plenty of online options available, why choose to deal with an attorney?
"Heir", "descendant", "next of kin" and "beneficiary" are often mistakenly used interchangeably. They each have distinct meanings which are important to know in order to make sure your assets go to the people you want them to go to when you pass away.
A revocable living trust is a legal document that allows you to maintain control over your assets while avoiding probate. Learn more about how it works with this comprehensive guide from the experts at The Law Offices of DuPont and Blumenstiel.
If a loved one has recently died or become incapacitated, finding the person's estate planning documents is essential. Despite the importance of these documents, it's not uncommon for people to move them and fail to communicate exactly where they are. Scrambling to find the will and other estate plan documents can be a painful and stressful process.
It’s never too early to start planning your estate. There are a few initiatives you can take now to begin the process. While larger estates may have different concerns than smaller ones, the key is to recognize that planning is the issue, not size!
The future increase in estate taxes could cause problems for your inheritance and retirement income down the road. To protect yourself from heavy taxation, know what tax laws are changing, be proactive in your retirement planning, and look at perusing difference inheritance strategies such as gifting and life insurance.
More and more millennials are now prioritizing creating their Wills or Trusts in response to the huge changes that have impacted society over the last year.
When is the last time you thought about your estate plan? If you are like most women, it is probably not something that crosses your mind every day among the multitude of things you have to do.
