Wills

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...

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...

Each state establishes its own rules for wills, so before you begin to prepare your documents, research the laws for your jurisdiction. You can do this for free at your local library or...

A will and power of attorney are separate documents but are very important. Maryland has several rules regarding these documents.

Everyone needs a will, but millions of people don't have one. Often the fear of death or financial constraints keep people from taking this step, but when it comes to how much you pay for your...

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 is a document that describes the wishes of the deceased, and can be drawn up by an attorney or an individual. Once a will is filed with a court, it becomes public record. In some...

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...

Power of attorney is a simple legal term for when one person has the legal ability to make decisions for a second person who is usually incapable of making decisions for themselves for reasons, ie...

Probate is the legal process that courts use to implement a deceased person's will, distribute assets to beneficiaries and pay any outstanding debts. Many people hear the term probate and...

Contesting a will can be a costly process. The burden of proof lies on the person contesting the validity of the will based on either fraud, duress or diminished mental capacity. Depending on...

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...

A Living Will is not the same thing as a Last Will and Testament, even though Living Wills are often drafted at the same time as a Last Will and Testament. Living Wills document a person's wishes...

If you are looking for a copy of a will, there are a few sources to begin your search.

Estate Planning: As a Paralegal specializing in Estate Planning, clients often asked a lot of questions regarding whether or not a person should have a Will or have an Estate Plan. I will give...

Even if you've made a will, you haven't completed all that is needed for estate planning. If your children will eventually take over your finances and be the executors of your will, you need to...

It's not too difficult to find out if someone in your family has/had a "Last Will and Testament" when they passed. Here is some information that I hope will be helpful to you.

More and more people are aware of the importance of preparing ones estate before death. If a loved one has prepared a last will and testament, their property, personal, real or fixtures, will be...

You have been meaning to make a will. You think of it often, but, somehow, you haven't gotten it done. If you died today and you didn't have a will, the state that you live in would decide what...

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...

A will is a document used to determine where an individual's assets will go upon their death. This also includes custody of any minor children. Wills can be contested in the event family members...

A codicil to a will is a part of a will that is added after the original version was drafted. Codicils are often added to change, correct or update a will without changing the entire document. It...

Let's face it, it's never pleasant to think about preparing for your death. Unfortunately, not enough Americans do--about half die without a will. Not having a will means the courts distribute...