Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 24, 2018 |
Myths are spread from person to person and by the Internet. Correcting the myths, isn't an easy task.
The world of the will and the trust has created some basic estate planning myths through the years. However, they can be corrected...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 18, 2018 |
People do inherit from a long, lost relative. However, it isn't all that often.
If you should inherit money from a long, lost relative, someone administering the estate will contact heirs and let you know. This always comes as a very welcome surprise for the heirs.
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 17, 2018 |
Knowing how to handle cryptocurrencies in estate planning can be a challenge.
The very nature of how the increasingly popular cryptocurrencies are held by their owners creates issues in estate planning, according to the New Jersey Law Journal...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 16, 2018 |
The use of of beneficiary designations is gaining in popularity. However, problems can develop.
Beneficiary designation forms can be an easy way to quickly distribute many financial assets to heirs. However, complications may lurk behind the apparent simplicity, according to Wealth Management...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 15, 2018 |
If it is not updated, your plan may well become a bad plan.
It doesn't matter if it is life or your business that changes when it comes to estate planning. When key parts of your life change, the environment needs a fresh look, according to the Herald News in "Revisiting Your Plan."
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 14, 2018 |
You have your own ideas on what should happen if you are incapacitated. However, your loved ones could have other ideas.
What happens if you do not have a living will? For example, if you are in an accident and decisions need to be made about your medical care, your family might not hav...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 11, 2018 |
Life can get in the way of an estate plan, if the changes are not taken into consideration.
Basic and all too frequent problems can arise, if people do not match the changes in their lives to their estate plans, according to the Wicked Local Dedham...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 10, 2018 |
If business is in the estate plan, there is a better chance it will survive.
If you have worked for years to build your business, it is likely to close, if a plan for it to continue is not included in your estate plan, according to the Savannah Morning News...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 09, 2018 |
The choice of a nursing home is crucial and how is one assured of high quality care?
Recently, some researchers looked at the quality of care that traditional Medicare enrollees receive versus Medicare Advantage enrollees, according to Elder Law Answers...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 08, 2018 |
Staying out of a facility in the senior years, needs careful consideration.
More people can live at home rather than a facility for longer than ever before. However, seniors need to make the appropriate plans, according to a doctor in a recent article in The Roanoke Times...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 07, 2018 |
Pennsylvania considers barring felons from obtaining guardianship of an elderly person.
Many states have guardianship laws that sometimes prove to be ineffective in protecting the elderly from abuse. Therefore, state legislatures are looking closely at guardianship laws, according to the Re...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 04, 2018 |
Sharing ownership of your home with your child to avoid probate, is still a bad idea.
Joint tenancy of your home with your child quickly becomes a bad idea, when the child has a creditor who can attach the home to pay off the child's debts, according to the Napa Valley Register...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 03, 2018 |
An estate sale is a good way to get rid of unwanted items. However, sometimes things end up badly.
Colorado police filed a report about an estate sale that went badly but the case was dropped for lack of suspects, according to Fox News in "Colorado house ransacked after estate sale mix-up...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 02, 2018 |
It has been nearly impossible for the family of the deceased to gain access to digital accounts in the past. However, there is some progress.
In response to the problem of digital accounts of the deceased being accessed for an estate, some state legislators have slowly been passing new ...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | May 01, 2018 |
The wishes you have expressed in a medical directive, don't do any good if no one knows about them.
The system of medical records used in the U.S. does not make it easy for doctors to know that you have a medical directive and that you have expressed your wishes ahead of time, according to...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 30, 2018 |
Some estate battles are predictable and quite costly to both finances and family.
If the main instrument used to distribute an estate is a will that has to go through probate, the legal issues can often lead to huge battles that could be avoided by using a trust, according to the Times Herald-Record...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 26, 2018 |
There are many false impressions out there about creating an estate plan. However, it actually does not have to be challenging.
Estate planning does not have to be difficult to accomplish, according to The New York Times in "What It Was Like To Finally Write My Will."
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 25, 2018 |
The traditional methods for burial of remains are still in place. However, there are also “green” options.
Different cultures are beginning to rethink the process of funerals for people. Some are turning to an “environmentally friendly” way, according to The New York Times ...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 24, 2018 |
Creating a plan for distribution of assets is practical.
If you do not have children, it isn't possible to follow the standard practice of caring for your spouse and your offspring when considering an estate plan. Exploring the options when childless, requires a bit more thinking, according ...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 23, 2018 |
Avoiding the thought of death is relatively standard in humans. However, it may not be the right course.
We do not generally dwell on the thought of death, we avoid making estate plans and we are often not prepared for the reality of death when it happens, according to The New York Times...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 20, 2018 |
A living trust can become a problem, if it isn't created with good advice.
A living trust needs careful preparation or an estate may face probate, according to the Napa Valley Register in "Avoid this living trust problem."
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 19, 2018 |
Many of the problems that arise in managing an estate can be avoided by careful planning.
Some of the friction within the family and difficulties in dealing with an estate can go more smoothly, if you know a few things about estate planning and your goals, according to The Register-Guard in ...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 18, 2018 |
A trust can solve a lot of problems, if you are the primary provider and pass away.
A good way to make sure your family gets the money they need to meet bills and expenses after you are gone is to avoid probate, according to The New York Times in "Life After Your Death? Why You Should Have a...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 17, 2018 |
A will written years ago may not fit with the current laws of your state, if changes have been made.
Whether an estate plan is a good one depends on state laws that may be changed, so it is a good idea to take a fresh look at your plan, according to the Dunwoody Crier...
Posted by Nina Whitehurst | Apr 16, 2018 |
There are many, many reasons why people need an estate plan.
There are so many reasons why people need a will, that in all likelihood everyone needs one, according to The Bellingham Herald in "Here are seven reasons you want to protect your family with a last will and testament."