Ideally, an estate will be distributed to the heirs without any sort of conflict among them. They will all simply follow the instructions in the estate plan and things will go as intended. However, this does not always happen, and estate disputes – particularly among...
Year: 2022
Who needs access to your advance directive for health care?
An advance directive for health care is one of the most important elements in your estate plan. Even if you don’t have a will in place yet, it’s wise to draw up this advance directive to “speak” for you if you can’t speak for yourself. An advance directive lets...
Understanding inheritance theft
Inheritance theft isn’t something anyone wants to think someone in their family is capable of. Unfortunately, however, inheritance theft does occur. A family doesn’t have to be especially wealthy to experience inheritance theft. It occurs with estates of all sizes....
Can you disinherit immediate family members in Washington?
There is a prevalent cultural expectation that people will leave their most valuable assets for family members when they die. This belief is so strong that state law even reinforces it with intestate succession laws. Spouses and children have legally protected rights...
Does your will reflect your current family dynamic?
There are numerous reasons to create a will and other estate planning documents, but none are more important than your family. You want to make sure that your assets go to the right people upon your death. Thus, it’s important to ensure that your will reflects your...
What should every estate plan include?
Estate plans are complicated legal documents that include many considerations. Planning your estate shouldn’t be difficult, however. If you’re looking to plan your estate, you may find it easier after knowing what to include. Here’s what you should know: Wills and...
Why are some wills contested?
A will is an invaluable part of any estate plan. As you’ve worked so hard for your savings and assets, you want to be assured that they go to the right people if something happens to you. A will can offer you this reassurance. Of course, this only goes to plan if the...
What’s the difference between revocable and irrevocable trusts?
A trust is a powerful estate planning tool if you are interested in safeguarding your future and loved ones. Done right, a trust can save time, reduce unnecessary paperwork and ensure that your assets pass down to your intended beneficiaries. However, not all trusts...
What should you know about electronic wills in Washington?
The state of Washington made some big changes to the way that wills can be created and maintained. Thanks to the Electronic Wills Act (EWA), residents of this state can now execute and store their wills entirely online as of Jan. 1, 2022. What exactly does this mean...
What are an executor’s responsibilities if a beneficiary is missing?
When you agreed to be an executor for a close friend’s or family member’s estate, they may have assured you that their estate plan was detailed, organized, straightforward and would be easy to administer. For the most part, it is. There’s just one problem: You can’t...