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Estate disputes have many causes, ranging from a will appearing to be fake to heirs wondering if their parent even had the mental capacity to write a will at the end of their life. There are usually solutions that can be found, but one of the most difficult situations...
A contest over the contents of someone's will can happen for many reasons -- but some family situations are actually more likely to result in disputes than others. You may find it interesting to learn what motivates these kinds of family disputes after a loved one's...
Many people who accept the role of executor for family and friends agree to serve in that capacity without seeking compensation. There may be little money in the estate and the duties may be perfunctory enough that there is no need to seek payment. But then there are...
Creating a trust as part of your estate plan can be a great decision. When properly structured and funded, a trust can protect your assets from creditors, help you qualify for government benefits as you age and reduce the likelihood of people challenging your legacy...
In Washington and other states, the administrator of an estate trust has a fair amount of power. Sometimes, such power can result in improperly administrated trust documents. However, in most cases, estate administrators want to do what is right for decedents and...
Online tools and books offer estate planning resources to create a will, powers of attorney, executor and more without the help of a lawyer. But, this “one size fits all” marketing approach doesn’t compare to the professional advice that an attorney can individually...
Power of attorney is a misunderstood aspect of the law, as most people do not understand the full ramifications of the title. In Seattle, the most common form of power of attorney is called a durable power of attorney. This title comes with certain rights about your...
As you are preparing your estate plan, you will probably think about what you would like done if you become incapacitated due to an illness or injury. You already know that you want a power of attorney allowing someone to make health care and financial decisions on...
Losing a loved one means that a lot of changes will come about. You will need to learn to live your life without your loved one around, which can be particularly difficult if you had a close relationship. If you did have a close relationship, you likely anticipate...
The passing of a loved one is almost always a difficult event to handle. You may have anticipated your loved one's passing for some time due to old age or illness, but it still hit hard when the time came. Still, you anticipated receiving something from the estate...
