What To Do When a Loved One Passes Away
Whether your spouse has just passed away or you have lost your mom or dad, the emotional trauma of losing a loved one often comes with a bewildering array of financial and legal issues demanding [...]
The Perils of Joint Property
People often set up bank accounts or real estate so that they own it jointly with a spouse or other family member. The appeal of joint tenancy is that when one owner dies, the other [...]
Isn’t There Already A Law That Leaves Everything To My Spouse And Kids?
Many people think that if they die while they are married, everything they own automatically goes to their spouse or children. They’re actually thinking of state rules that apply if someone dies without leaving a [...]
Got Stuff? George Carlin Says You Need An Estate Plan!
George Carlin would have been a great pitchman for estate planning. You may remember his stand-up routine on "stuff." We all have stuff, and we're pretty particular about our stuff. We move it around with [...]
How to Pass Your Home to Your Children Tax-Free
Giving your house to your children can have tax consequences, but there are ways to accomplish it tax-free. The best method to use will depend on your individual circumstances and needs. Leave the house in [...]
Big Bang Theory Star’s “Ironclad” Prenup Challenged: How Does Yours Compare?
The Big Bang Theory actress Kaley Cuoco is one of the highest paid actresses on television. She earns one million dollars per episode and has a net worth of $44 million. Before she married tennis [...]
Surprise! You Can’t Easily Disinherit Your Spouse in the U.S.
Believe it or not, in the U.S. it isn’t easy to disinherit your spouse. But the same is not true for other family members – generally, you can use your estate plan to disinherit your [...]
Is a Payable on Death Account Right for You and Your Family?
Payable on death accounts, or “POD accounts” for short, have become popular for avoiding probate in the last decade or so. What is a POD Account? A POD account is a type of bank account [...]
An Estate Planning Checklist to Facilitate Wealth Transfer
Studies have shown that 70% of family wealth is lost by the end of the second generation and 90% by the end of the third. Help your loved ones avoid becoming one of these statistics. [...]
If You Die Without a Will, Does Your Spouse Inherit Your Entire Estate?
If you are married and you die without a Last Will and Testament, you may mistakenly believe that your spouse will still inherit your entire estate. Not so fast. Who will inherit your estate depends [...]
Parental Warning: If You Own Your Property this Way, You May Accidentally Disinherit Your Own Children
Owning property as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship is easy, common, and often disastrous. Sadly, children – both minor and adult – are often disinherited. While there are several forms of joint ownership, the [...]