Did you know that your family and/or friends have the right to challenge your will during probate proceedings? They are even entitled to object to its validity and various aspects of the inheritance left behind. As you can imagine, this can become very complex very quickly. If you believe a will inaccurately depicts the mental […]
Tag: inheritance
How to Shield Your Estate from Creditors
The executors are settling an estate — but the decedent owes money. What can the creditors take and what is reserved for the inheritors? There is no easy answer, and a variety of federal and state laws apply. To start with, retirement accounts that qualify under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act are generally protected from creditors, […]
Why You Need a Will
No one wants to think about death or dying, yet it is inevitable. Ignoring that fact causes many of us to delay planning, which, if the unexpected happens, can result in issues that could have been avoided. That is why everyone should have a will. Without a will, you are leaving what happens to you […]
Heirs and Spares: Contingent Beneficiaries
When the Titanic went down in 1912, several women chose to remain on board and drown with their husbands; most famously was Ida Straus, whose family co-owned Macy’s Department Store. Although Titanic-scale disasters are extraordinarily rare, you should nevertheless include a contingency beneficiary in your will or trust in case life or death throws you […]