What are the consequences if you don’t arrange a will before passing away? Everything about the fate of your estate will be out of your hands and your assets are distributed to your next of kin (i.e. your closest family members) even if that is not what you wanted. In other words, any non-family member or charity you would have wanted to be a beneficiary would not receive anything. In the case that you have no next of kin, your assets are taken by the state.
Updating Your Will Updated: December 19, 2022 Creating a New Will Revoking a Will Altering a Will Using Codicils (Addenda or Additions) Creating your will is only half the work. You must keep it up to date with any changes that will alter your estate plans. You may need to add a few things or […]
Guardians/Conservators Updated: December 15, 2022 Choosing a Guardian Your Children’s Guardian Guardianship of Incapacitated or Disabled Persons Tasks of the Guardian Ending a Guardianship After you pass away and you either have no surviving spouse or your spouse dies at the same time, there may be minor children or other dependents such as disabled or […]
Pour-over Will Updated: December 13, 2022 Unlike other wills, the pour-over will is not a stand-alone document. It is meant to be used along with a trust as a safety net and to do things a trust cannot, such as naming a guardian for your children. A pour-over will can be used as a way […]
Will Options for Couples Updated: December 13, 2022 Mirror Will Mutual or Married Will The Joint Will While an individual will gives you complete control of your wishes after you die, committed couples creating two wills can sometimes be an expensive process. There are other forms of wills that you and your partner can consider […]
Contesting Your Will Updated: December 20, 2022 Who Can Contest Your Will? Why Would Your Will be Contested? Whats Happens if the Challenge is Successful/Prevent If you have considered everything carefully, can you be sure everything is done according to your wishes after you die? Not always, but there are ways to improve your chances. […]
Your Personal Representative/Executor Updated: December 14, 2022 Choosing an Executor Tasks of an Executor The Estate Account Digital Executor A personal representative is the person you name to settle your will according to your directions. They must be approved by the probate before they can assume their role. Your executor is entitled to a fee […]
What Should be Included in a Will Updated: December 12, 2022 Your Beneficiaries Your Choice of Executor/Personal Representative Your Choice of Guardians for Minor Children or Dependent Adults Your Assets Your will should include basic personal information such as your full name, birthdate, and address. You should include any other names you go by, as […]
Doing it Yourself Updated: December 16, 2022 A Summary of the Will-making Process Making Sure Your Will Is Valid When to Get Help Other Things to Consider Attorneys and other estate planners do not come cheaply, so when it comes time to make your last will and testament, can you go it alone? Doing it […]
Last Will and Testament The last will and testament is a major part of an estate plan and will ensure that the estate is settled according to your wishes. While there are other steps in estate planning, the will is the primary document to guide the process of settling an estate for most people. The […]
What Should Not be Included in a Will Updated: December 13, 2022 All last will and testaments will need to go through the probate process, but that does not mean all of your assets do. Those assets that do not need to be included in your will are known as non-probate estate assets. There are […]
Limitations of Wills Updated: December 19, 2022 While your will legally allows you to protect certain personal assets and specify your wishes after you die, there are certain things you won’t be able to do with your will. There are some practical limitations, but the primary drawbacks are that the content of your will is […]
