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Estate Planning › Heirs › Beneficiaries

Estate Planning is a process where individuals prepare or plan for the settlement of their personal affairs in the event of incapacitation or death. Estate plans typically include provisions relating to the... more +
Estate Planning is a process where individuals prepare or plan for the settlement of their personal affairs in the event of incapacitation or death. Estate plans typically include provisions relating to the disposition of assets, guardianship of minor children, and appointment of representatives to make medical and financial decisions. Effective estate planning can decrease tax liability and facilitate the probate process.  less -
Allen Barron, Inc.

Tax and Estate Planning for Small Business Owners and S Corporations with No Employees

Allen Barron, Inc. on

Many small business owners mistakenly believe business succession planning and estate planning is for those with substantial wealth. This is simply a myth which does not reflect the nature of business or home ownership....more

Allen Barron, Inc.

Remarriage and a Blended Family - It's Time for a New or Updated Estate Plan

Allen Barron, Inc. on

Are you considering remarriage? Do you and/or your spouse have children from a previous marriage? If so, remarriage and a blended family are excellent reasons for a new or updated estate plan. Blended families are quickly...more

Robins Kaplan LLP

Communicating Your Estate Plan: A Helpful Tool, Not a Fix-All

Robins Kaplan LLP on

In the first 10 minutes of Netflix’s The Gentleman, the grieving heirs of Archibald Horniman are shocked when it is revealed that he has left his sizeable estate almost entirely to his second-born son, to the exclusion of his...more

Allen Barron, Inc.

Passing Assets and Accounts to Your Heirs Is About To Become Much More Difficult

Allen Barron, Inc. on

If you are in the process of long-term estate planning or updating an existing estate plan, the process for passing assets and accounts to your heirs is about to become much more difficult and expensive. Presently, each...more

Lowenstein Sandler LLP

Death and Dirt: Addressing the Injustices of the Past in Heirs Property

Lowenstein Sandler LLP on

Today on “Splitting Heirs,” host Warren Racusin speaks with Molefi McIntosh and Mavis Gragg about the “heirs’ property problem--” or what happens to real estate when it is passed down within families without benefit of a...more

Allen Barron, Inc.

You Need to Review Your Irrevocable Trust

Allen Barron, Inc. on

Do you employ an irrevocable trust or trusts as part of your estate plan? You need to review your irrevocable trust to ensure it still delivers the benefits intended. It is generally possible to modify an irrevocable trust,...more

Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC

What Are The Benefits Of Transfer On Death Deeds In Washington?

Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC on

Traditionally, real estate must pass through a deed signed by all grantees of the last vesting deed, or if one of the grantees has passed away, then a probate proceeding allows a court to transfer title for the deceased...more

Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC

A Probate Checklist For Executors Of A Will

Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC on

Probate, the legal process of administering a deceased person’s estate, can be complex and challenging. During this process, a court determines whether a Will is authentic and valid and then distributes the estate to heirs or...more

Allen Barron, Inc.

The Importance of Succession Planning for Business Owners

Allen Barron, Inc. on

What is the importance of succession planning for business owners? Why should you be concerned about the development and implementation of succession planning if you own a business or a significant interest in an LLC, S...more

Bowditch & Dewey

What Happens if I Die Without a Valid Will in Massachusetts?

Bowditch & Dewey on

As estate planning attorneys, a question that often arises with new and prospective clients is, “What happens if I die without a will?” The short answer is this: if you die without a valid will in Massachusetts, state law...more

Bowditch & Dewey

Tales from the Docket: Who Gets the Money When a Trust Fails?

Bowditch & Dewey on

In 1998, Elizabeth died leaving a will that contained a trust for the benefit of her niece, Jean, for her life. Upon Jean’s death, the remaining trust assets were to pass to her other niece, Dorothy. Both Jean and Dorothy...more

Patton Sullivan Brodehl LLP

Strict Notice Is A Must To Trigger Deadlines For Will Contests

Patton Sullivan Brodehl LLP on

It is a standard requirement in Probate Court disputes that the parties strictly adhere to the rules regarding notice of relief sought to all potential heirs and beneficiaries. The recent decision of Bailey v. Bailey...more

Downey Brand LLP

Cohabitation Required for “Marital Presumption” to Bar Heirship

Downey Brand LLP on

Who’s your father for inheritance purposes in California? Family Code section 7540(a) states that “the child of spouses who cohabited at the time of conception and birth is conclusively presumed to be a child of the...more

Burns & Levinson LLP

How to Fire Your Fiduciary

Burns & Levinson LLP on

There may come a time in your life when you are in need of a fiduciary. A fiduciary relationship is deemed to exist when one party is bound to act for the benefit of another party. You may have the opportunity to choose your...more

Rivkin Radler LLP

Wendy and Jen Wreck the Movies: Brewster’s Millions (1985) or Put me in, Coach, I’m ready to PAY, Within 30 Days!!!

Rivkin Radler LLP on

What Happened: Montgomery Brewster’s minor league baseball career is fizzling. Optimistic Brewster believes his big break is just around the corner, but the break he gets is not the one he expects. ...more

Freeman Law

Does an Executor Breach Their Fiduciary Duty By Failing to Disclose Facts to Beneficiaries?

Freeman Law on

A fiduciary’s failure to disclose material facts to beneficiaries may violate their fiduciary duties.  A recent Texas court’s decision outlines the fiduciary’s risks that come with the obligation to disclose....more

Lowenstein Sandler LLP

The Secret Child

Lowenstein Sandler LLP on

Wills: An estate planner and a Shakespearean scholar talk about the right way—and the many wrong ways—to design your will. Speakers: Warren Racusin, Chair, Trusts & Estates Bridget Harris, Counsel, Trusts & Estates Mary...more

Downey Brand LLP

Showdown at the O.K. Corral – The Battle of the Omitted Heirs

Downey Brand LLP on

Providing for your children is one of the primary purposes of estate planning, but what happens to your carefully crafted trust if you had children you did not know about when you created the trust? Or, what if you have...more

Lewitt Hackman

When There is Only a Will There’s No Way You’re Avoiding Probate

Lewitt Hackman on

A common misconception is that when you die with a Will, your heirs avoid probate. In California when you die with a Will and the total assets owned in your sole name exceed $166,250, your estate goes through probate (a court...more

Downey Brand LLP

California Probate Administration Is No Time for Napping

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In the absence of a trust that allows assets to pass without opening probate, the California probate process lasts for at least six months and can run much longer depending on the size of the estate and the nature of assets....more

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

Wills, Trusts & Estates: Plain and Simple – “Do-It-Yourself” Wills: A Note of Caution

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on

There are lots of “do-it-yourself” Will programs floating around on the internet. You may be able to save legal fees by drafting your own Will – at least up front; but in the long run, the cost usually comes after you die...more

Holland & Hart LLP

When Beneficiaries are Not Heirs

Holland & Hart LLP on

The terms Beneficiary and Heir both refer to someone who receives an inheritance after someone passes away. However, while the terms are often used interchangeably, they do not always refer to the same individual or set of...more

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