Wills

An element of a last will and testament is designating an individual as the executor. The executor is the person charged with carrying out the wishes of the will writer following her death....

No one likes to talk about it, but it is inevitable. Make plans now to ensure that your passing is as painless for your loved ones as it can be.

If you die without a legally binding will, the state will decide how to distribute your assets. And even though nobody likes to think about their own death it's always a good idea to be prepared...

For your last will and testament to be valid, it must be in writing and signed by you, the person making the will, in the presence of two independent witnesses. In certain cases, a will can be...

Part of being a mature adult is not making others guess what you want. Just as you don't expect a loved one to read your mind to know what you want for your birthday, you shouldn't expect your...

The loss of a loved one brings many challenges. Discovering that a loved one's will is missing may be one of the largest--especially for the executor of the estate, who agreed to dispense the...

Many are unaware of how important it is to have a Will. It is important because it discloses who you wish to be your beneficiaries and how you wish your assets to be distributed, who will raise...

A will can be one of the most important documents you will ever write. It can affect your children and grandchildren. It is because of the seriousness of this document that most lawyers recommend...

A Living Will is a legal document that specifies what you would want done if you are ever in a persistent vegetative state. For instance, would you want to be kept alive indefinitely on a...

A Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare is a legal document that specifies who you would want to make healthcare decisions for you if you are ever unable to make decisions for yourself. For...

A will is a written guide to a person's final requests. It contains information such as where the person wants her final resting place to be and how to handle her estate. If a loved one, such as...

Not every will is contested. However, those that are can be tied up in court for years. Such an act can prevent beneficiaries from receiving their intended inheritance. It could also ensure that...

Will contests are an expected part of the legal process after a loved one dies. The motives behind a will contest are often driven by grief or greed. Some people contest a will in what they...

The main responsibility of the executor of a last will and testament is to administer the estate of the decedent--the person who has passed away--such that the decedent's final wishes are carried...

Power of attorney, often shortened to simply POA, is the authorization of one individual to act on another's behalf for legal, medical or financial matters. Power of attorney is often given to...

How to Write a Will to Prevent your Estate from Going into Probate. Writing a will is always an excellent idea. The last thing you want when you die is for your relatives to take your estate to...

Occasionally when a will is opened after a person's death, a loved one will discover that he or she has been named executor of the will. Being the will's executor can require a considerable amount...

Probate is a legal process in which a court verifies the validity of a will and oversees its execution. The court also ensures that legitimate creditors of the estate are paid prior to any assets...

Writing a last will and testament is an important step in managing your estate. Having a clear and legal will is an immense aid in dividing the estate of a deceased person and can greatly reduce...

Many people do not wish to seek a lawyer to write a last will. There are very simple methods that one can use in order to make their own will, however, one must be careful and get details correct....

If you are a family member or friend of a person who is deceased and have been called upon to read a will, you'll need to keep some specific duties in mind. When it comes to understanding how to...

An executor of a will is responsible for making certain that all the deceased person's outstanding debts are settled and that any remaining bills, funeral expenses and inheritance taxes are paid...

You likely have heard the terms "trust" and "will" and may have a basic idea of what each legal concept is. A trust is a system in which property is held for the benefit of someone else, and a...

Many people shy away from the concept of a will because they do not want to consider the fact that they may die. Oh, they think, I'm not planning to die any time soon. What a depressing thought......

Writing a will gives you control over what happens to your assets when you die. A will is the best way to avoid having your estate tied up in probate for months or even years afterward. If you die...

Planning for the future is a wise decision, including preparing a last will and testament. Having made the decision to write or make a will, there are some specific steps that you need to take. By...

If you die without leaving a valid will, your assets will be distributed among your next of kin in accordance with state law. Lack of a valid will could also spark conflict among your survivors,...

A will is a document that transfers control of your assets, such as property and money, to designated persons after you die. Thinking about what will happen after your death can be overwhelming....

A will may be one of the most important documents in your possession. The contents of your will set forth your final instructions to your loved ones when you die. A person reading your will should...

There are several places to search for a copy of a will. Where you look first will depend on whether or not the will has gone through probate---the process of officially transferring a decedent's...

A will must be executed properly or it may be invalid. The problem with an invalid will is that you do not know the will is invalid until the will is filed, which occurs upon the author's death. ...

How to set up an estate when someone dies (the decedent). Whether or not they left a will (called intestate succession when not left) - the tasks can be daunting for someone without a formal...

Everybody needs a will. If you don't have a will, then when you die your property and your children will go to whomever state law says they should go to. You will have no control over what happens...

A last will and testament is a legal document that indicates how a person wants his or her property distributed upon death. A will can be probated, which means it is filed with a court to formally...

When a person passes away, they frequently leave a last will and testament. A last will and testament indicates the deceased's wishes as to the disposition of property or assets. There are...

It is a common misconception that after a relative passes, a copy of his or her will may be found with the courts. Although a will may be filed prior to death in some jurisdictions, this is not...

A probated will is one filed with the court to formally commence the administration and disposition of property in accordance with the terms of the will. For example, a person dies, leaving a...

You love and care about people about in life. You want to remember or provide for those individuals "after you are gone." You made the decision to prepare a simple last will and testament and want...

A legal living will is a vital document if you want to control medical treatments that could prolong your life if you happen to be incapacitated. Also known as a “health care advanced directive,”...

A last will and testament details what happens to everything you own or inherit in the case of your death. It dictates who gets what and when, who will be in charge and what kind of power he will...

Even though facing your own mortality can be scary, writing a will is a necessary part of life. If you die without a will, you risk having the government choose with whom and how your estate...

Accidents happen every day, leaving families and loved ones with the responsibility of making critical decisions regarding the health care and medical treatment of their kin. Living wills are...

Creating a living trust is a very wise decision -- especially if you have an estate worth more than $100,000 and you have loved ones to whom you want to give part of your estate. If there is a...

Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be difficult. To obtain a copy of a last will and testament, one must be sure a last will and testament exists or has not been lost. A court of law...

An ethical will, sometimes called an ethical legacy, is a document written to preserve and pass along key moral and life lessons. Usually, the person who writes an ethical will is striving to...

Creating a valid last will and testament, which will stand-up in court under the most intense legal scrutiny, has come to be an expensive undertaking. Most lawyers may charge a client well over a...

Nothing tears a family apart more than arguments over money. To make sure financial issues never come between you and your relatives, take some steps to ensure a smooth transition of any assets.

It's a sad fact of life, but sometimes our pets outlive us. If we haven't made plans for their care after we're gone, they might be thrust into an animal shelter with mere days to live. We can...

Giving money to grandchildren is a fairly easy thing to do. Many grandchildren are as involved in the lives of their grandparents as children, especially since more and more grandparents are...

Probate is the legal process of proving a will is authentic and valid. Through probate, legal title is passed from the deceased person to the beneficiary. There are several items that do not go...