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Living wills are not designed for use after a person’s death as normal wills are. As the name suggests, a living will is for use during a person’s lifetime, during a time when they may not be able to state their preferences or make informed decisions. In most cases, living wills apply to situations regarding health care. For example, a…
If a loved one has recently died and you are surprised to learn that you are not included in their will, this is likely to make the grieving process even more difficult. You will likely have felt that you were one of the closest people in their life, especially if you’re directly related. This news can be especially tough if…
When a person passes away and leaves behind a will, the contents of the will might not be what family members expected or hoped for. Many people, unfortunately, become involved in disputes with other loved ones after a family member passes away because they are so upset with the directives in the will. If you are interested in challenging a…
If you have recently lost a loved one, you may have been shocked to find that you were not mentioned in the will even though you are an heir. In learning this, you’ll likely feel upset and hurt. These emotions can be very tough to experience at the same time as grieving your loss. After taking the time to reflect…
Most people have a will in place at the time of their death. After a person passes away, this will need to be processed so that assets can be handled and passed to beneficiaries. Wills are often referred to as tickets to probate court because they inform the probate court on how to move forward with the deceased person’s assets.…
Durable power of attorney abuse is a significant concern for people who have family members who have a POA established. If an elder or any party who needs a POA faces abuse from their POA, they may need support from adult protective services, the criminal justice system or others to help protect them. Durable power of attorney abuse occurs when…
Many estate disputes happen simply because parents do not plan ahead and siblings do not know what their parents wanted. They’re left to figure it out on their own. Naturally, they’re going to disagree on some fairly big decisions — maybe one wants to keep the family cabin, for instance, while another wants to sell. The best way to avoid…
It’s great being young, although it is perhaps older people who appreciate youth the most. Young people often put off thoughts of retirement planning or estate planning because they’re busy enjoying life or building a career and a family. But exuberance and crowded schedules are no reason to avoid something that matters. One issue that affects all people is who…
Estate planning involves a lot of different steps, such as listing your assets, deciding if you want to use trusts, writing a will, creating a medical directive, using powers of attorney and much more. You really want to take the time to think of everything; don’t just assume that you can write a will and call it a day. One…
Estate planning means planning for the future, and you need to go beyond simply writing a will. One of the documents you may want to consider is a medical power of attorney. What does it do? Essentially, this document chooses someone else to act as an agent on your behalf if you need medical care and you cannot communicate with…