The person who serves as the executor of an estate has to do a lot of work. They have to secure property and communicate with creditors. They have to initiate probate proceedings and file taxes. They may have to sell property and distribute items to family members....
Year: 2021
Is an electronic last will a sign of estate planning fraud?
Someone you love recently died, and that would be hard enough to handle on its own. However, you have started to have serious doubts about the validity of their estate plan. If you and the rest of your family felt surprised to learn that a loved one had left behind an...
Major life events that should trigger an update on your estate plan
If you already have an estate plan in place, then you have started off on the right footing. However, an estate plan is not something you create, lock up in some safe deposit box and forget about it. On the contrary, it is recommended that you review and revise it...
Do you really need a no-contest clause in your Seattle will?
Those who engage in estate planning nearly always do so with their loved ones in mind. They want to minimize financial burdens for their families, and, in many cases, they also want to prevent inheritance disputes from arising. To prevent estate litigation involving...
3 signs of undue influence in an estate plan
Realizing that your loved one didn't have the estate plan you thought they did can be a disappointing experience. Most of the time, you have to accept your dissatisfaction with their decision and move on with your life. However, in cases where you suspect someone else...
Passing the family home on to your heirs? You can do that with an estate plan
If you would like to leave your home to a loved one after you pass away, one of the options you have is adding your home to your estate plan and placing it into a trust. There are two main kinds of trusts that you can use to pass on your home, a revocable trust and a...
Estate planning for art collectors
There are no limits to what people collect throughout their lives, but art collectors are in a distinct category. Their collections may hold both sentimental and great investment value. Adding your art collection to your estate plans is essential if you want your...
Use these tips to keep track of assets and prevent theft
When someone you love is near death or has passed away, the last thing you want to deal with is litigation. However, you’ve started noticing that objects that were once in their home aren’t there when you visit. Items that should be split among the heirs seem to be...
What can happen when administrators don’t play fair with their estate duties
Most families assume it could never happen to them, but estrangement and estate battles are all too common when the administrator of an estate is playing fast and loose with the rules that govern a decedent’s estate. If you are not the administrator, it may be...
Are you thinking of contesting a will? Read this first
When someone dies and their estate plans hold some unpleasant surprises, you might consider challenging their will. Before you announce your intention to do so, however, give yourself time to decide if it is the right thing to do. Will contests can create significant...