Estate Law

A notary public is necessary at various stages in your adult life, but they do cost money. The last time I needed someone to notarize a document it was at my children's school. The emergency...

The cost of hiring a probate lawyer varies throughout the United States. Each state has a set of statutes and guidelines necessary for the transfer of property after death. The requirements that...

You may need a probate lawyer to draft a will or trust documents, or open an estate in court following the death of a family member. No matter the circumstances, there are certain documents that a...

Estate planning is a very important responsibility. Therefore, if you are at the juncture in your life at which you are undertaking estate planning, you need to engage the services of a qualified...

As you consider purchasing real estate, whether for your primary residence or as an investment, there may be opportunities available to you in the form of real estate in probate. There are...

Two of the most fundamental requirements associated with a proceeding in probate court are notice and obtaining a surety bond. Probate court deals with extremely sensitive matters--wills and...

If you are being appointed to undertake a task in a probate court, you likely will need a surety bond for probate court. For example, if you are going to be the administrator of an estate, you...

Learn to identify a Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) that is subject to an additional flat-rate tax on top of any federal gift or estate tax that the donor or decedent might also owe on the...

Locating someone who is deceased is sometimes critical to legal proceedings or tracing family histories. Many genealogical resources are valuable materials that can also be used to locate the...

The last few years foreclosure have jumped to record highs as many people being laid off or who signed up unknowingly to strange loan terms scramble to make their house payments. Not only does...

Lawyers are expensive. Most people in need of a lawyer simply cannot afford to pay them the actual fees needed to win a case. There are cheaper lawyers out there, with great service at offer. ...

Death certificates are needed for Social Security, life and health insurance and to wrap up a deceased ones affairs. These documents are easily obtain.

When someone dies without a will, the estate is administered according to the rules of intestacy. These vary by state, and set forth who is entitled to the estate's assets. They can also contain...

When estate planning, a good checklist can help you get the most for your loved ones. Try an estate planning checklist from an estate planning and probate lawyer in this free video on estate law.

Asset protection keeps assets from creditors or lawsuits, whereas estate planning is about saving estate taxes and preparing for death. Learn the difference between estate planning and asset...

When someone dies, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) takes its cut of the money first, followed by funeral expenses, then creditors and finally heirs. Learn about handling creditors and debt when...

Typically, wills are estate planning documents that do not control where life insurance payouts go. Learn about conflicts between will and life insurance policies from an estate planning and...

A trustee can be replaced only according to rules within the trust or will, and executors are often chosen by the court. Learn when a trustee or executor can be replaced from an estate planning...

A missing heir is an heir known to exist but whose whereabouts are unknown. Find out what a missing heir is from an estate planning and probate lawyer in this free video on estate law.

Many wills become open to the public after entering probate court and becoming public record. Find out when wills are open to the public from an estate planning and probate lawyer in this free...

In estate law, trusts are taxed differently depending on whether they are revocable or irrevocable trusts. Learn how a trust is taxed from an estate planning and probate lawyer in this free video...

When estate planning, think of a trust as a rulebook and a trustee as a manager under the rules. Find out what a trust is from an estate planning and probate lawyer in this free video on estate law.

When someone dies, the credit reporting agencies Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion may not get the news for a long time, if ever. It is important to let the credit bureaus know of a loved one's...

Most people procrastinate preparing for the future. This is the wrong move. If you plan ahead you can disperse your assets to the person(s)of your choice. Otherwise you will voluntarily hand over...

A Durable Power of Attorney is a written document executed by a competent adult authorizing another person or a corporation to act on her behalf. The document is durable because it survives the...

There are times after the death of someone when a death certificate is required to prove that the person has passed on. In times like these it is good to know how to obtain this documentation....

Life insurance can be simply defined as a contract between the policy owner (insured) and the insurer, in which the insured agrees to pay regular premiums, while the insurer agrees to pay an...

Your estate includes any wealth you might have while living such as money, jewelry, real estate, art, etc. Your estate also includes your potential wealth and debts such as mortgage, insurance,...

People write specific bequeaths in their will. These bequeaths can be dollar amounts or property. There are two assumptions that come with making a specific bequeath: the dollar value of the...

Americans are loath to talk about death, dying, legal and money matters with family members, so it becomes difficult for adult children to sort out their parents' affairs after their deaths. The...