Even in cases of inheritance, American families often treat stepchildren the same as biological children. This is particularly true where stepchildren are part of a blended family from an early age. Biological siblings may have different feelings about a stepchild…
Estate planning typically involves wills, trusts, and passing assets on from generation to generation. However, there is another part of estate planning that doesn’t get as much attention. It concerns advance health care planning. Have you thought about what type…
You probably wonder how you would like your assets dispersed and who should be responsible for that process, whether you are in the middle of your estate planning process or just beginning to think about how to proceed. A trust…
During the estate planning process, it is very important to implement Power of Attorney documents. All states recognize powers of attorney, but rules and requirements will differ from state to state. The document gives one or more individuals the legal…
Planning for succession and estate planning for farm and ranch real estate, livestock, equipment, and other personal property can be challenging. There is a common misconception that federal estate taxes threaten farm or ranch property, preventing assets from getting to…
After the death of a loved one, there is a period of mixed emotions as we deal with the loss and receive an inheritance. The loss of a loved one is sad but the influx of funds can bring joy…
About half of Americans have written a will, unfortunately, most of these people believe this means they don’t need an estate plan. Although this belief is untrue, it may be the leading reason why only 33% of US adults have…
Elder law and estate planning are often used interchangeably; however, there are significant differences between the two. While some overlap exists between the two, learning and implementing strategies from both law practice types is crucial to prepare for successful aging…
A good estate planning attorney will assist you in creating a plan that minimizes or avoid probate. Probate proceedings are part of the public record and can be very time-consuming and expensive. However, in nearly every case, some probate is…
In most families, sibling rivalry is inevitable. Depending on your family members and the dynamic between them, old rivalries from the past can become more significant when a parent passes. Adult children who are emotionally upset and in the unfamiliar territory…