What To Know About Choosing Will Witnesses

estate plan family wills

When you create a will or general estate plan, you may hear several different terms used to describe key people. For example: A personal representative or executor is the person who will handle your estate administration, from submitting your will to probate all the way through distributing your assets at the end. Your beneficiaries, or… Read More »

Wills

Skipping Succession Planning: A Big Mistake

Research from the U.S. Bureau of the Census shows that approximately 90% of businesses across the nation are family controlled or family owned. Many of these businesses provide important services and products to people all over the country and could have a long and healthy future with the right planning. More than half of gross… Read More »

How to Avoid One of the Most Common Do-It-Yourself Will Mistakes

will

  A do-it-yourself will seems tempting. After all, it could be an easy way to outline your estate planning intentions and to ensure that your loved ones get what you intend for them. However, do-it-yourself wills may have numerous problems embedded in them, such as the fact that template forms may not consider unique aspects… Read More »

Wills

Do I Need to Include Foreign Assets in My Estate Plan?

estate plan family

The more assets you own, the more important it is to make sure that you put a comprehensive estate plan in place for those needs. Failing to consider all various aspects of your estate, including foreign assets, could lead to problems down the road.   Hiring an estate planning attorney to address both simple and… Read More »

How Does Family Estrangement Impact My Estate Plan?

estate plan family

  If you decide purposefully not to include people in your estate plan, it can be challenging to decide the best way to structure this and what you should communicate to loved ones about these choices, if anything.   Many people may not recognize the prominence of family member estrangement in our society. One study… Read More »

Which Assets Are Best to Leave for Heirs?

estate plan heirs

If you have multiple possible assets that you could use throughout your own retirement, as well as to pass on to heirs or charitable organizations after you pass away, it’s common to wonder about the best way to structure these and to determine your next steps and options.   Passing on assets means thinking carefully… Read More »

Can I Write on My Will to Update it in California?

  Life circumstances change, and you may need to update your will to reflect that, too. Knowing what procedure to follow can ensure that your wishes are followed properly when you pass away. On the other side of that coin, mistakes made when trying to update your will may mean that the court uses the… Read More »