Trusts & Estate Law

Whether you are in the process of planning your estate or you are simply leaving your home and moving somewhere else, there may be a time in your life when you want to leave your home to your...

Wills are governed by state law, so the details can vary, but in general, most states follow the same basic principles such as requiring a witness and requiring notary acknowledgment.

There is no one probate law that is in effect in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each jurisdiction has its own interpretation of probate and how it should be handled.

California does not have a state inheritance tax, but potential beneficiaries should be aware of a number of tax-related issues. Some assets received by intestacy or bequest may be subject to...

Anybody can claim unclaimed property. Unclaimed property is typically monetary in nature and can be anything from a credit card refund, a tax refund, bank interest or a stock dividend, or any...

Probate is the term for the legal process that occurs when one person dies and all of his property is distributed to family, friends and other legal heirs. When that happens, there are three...

It used to be that wills had to be made with the help of a lawyer and that they were only for the very wealthy. Today, wills are commonplace and many people forgo professional legal assistance and...

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,...

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 will is defined as a written declaration of a person's intended distribution of property after their death. Unfortunately, many American die without having a will (meaning they die...

Following a person's death, his estate is divided through a process known as probate. In probate, the court will essentially prove the will and determine its validity. If the deceased person...

An important part of life planning is to make your wishes for medical care explicit, so your instructions can be carried out when you're not able to communicate them. A living will provides...

Making a will can ensure your personal assets and belongings will be in the right order in case something happens to your health. It's very important to make out a will especially if you have...

Probate attorneys handle the legal process of validating a will. The executor of the will inventories the assets of the deceased and makes sure all debts are paid. If there is no will, this is...

If you do not have a will, you are leaving the state to decide on the distribution of all your posessions. If you have any posessions of value or any sentimental posessions you wish to go to...

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...

By the time you need a living will, it will be too late to create one. A living will, or advance directive, specifies how your medical treatment should be handled if you are unable to state your...