Estate plans and wills have a bad reputation for creating divisions within families. Though this trope often gets played up in movies and literature, it does happen plenty of times in real life, too. It is important to understand why these spats happen and if there is...
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Estate Planning
The 3 elements of a basic estate plan
No matter what your age is or what stage of life you're in, you need to put an estate plan in place to detail your wishes and provide peace of mind for your family. A basic estate plan consists of only three elements that together answer most of the questions your...
What should you know about undue influence?
Elderly people are among the most vulnerable in the population. Unfortunately, some people have a motive to target them and take advantage of that vulnerability, too. This is the case with undue influence, which becomes especially prevalent in cases where people with...
What circumstances require an updated estate plan?
When considering what time to update an estate plan, it is common to get conflicting pieces of information or advice. After all, just about everyone has their own view as to the best timeline for updating or managing an estate. However, some circumstances enjoy...
Is a family member the best choice for executor?
The executor of your estate will hold a lot of power and responsibility. Because of how closely they will work with your personal affairs, you may want to choose a family member first. But is that always the best option? Or in some cases, may family members actually...
What can manipulation of a grantor look like?
Grantors have a lot on their plate when managing their estate plan and will. Unfortunately, age can throw some complications into the mix too, in the form of memory problems. Some people may want to take advantage of these problems in order to gain more favor, power...
Is it time to review and update your advance directives?
Even if you regularly receive praise from your physician about your overall good health, it is impossible to predict the future. Eventually, due to an unexpected illness or life-changing injury, you may lose the capacity to make your own medical decisions. If that...
What should you look for when choosing a power of attorney?
Along with protecting your assets after you are gone, estate plans can also protect you while you are still alive. This is especially true when it comes to the healthcare power of attorney, which offers protection in case you become incapacitated by illness or injury....
When can a health care proxy make medical decisions for you?
Even if you are healthy, it is advisable to create an advance directive. With an advance directive, you tell doctors about the medical procedures you both want and do not want them to use to save your life. If you cannot make your own medical decisions, you probably...
What is a special needs trust?
You may have a family member with a disability who relies on you for financial support. If so, you have an obligation to provide for this person following your death. However, this can be a complex situation. The individual may also receive public benefits, and...
