Estate planning

There are numerous ways to arrange for property to go to specific people when you die. Moving assets into a trust is one solution. Bequeathing them to someone in a will is another common arrangement. However, the transfer of property in your will requires that it...

A right of survivorship is an important method for passing the title of your property on to joint tenants if one dies. Many people opt to use a right of survivorship rather than a simple will to pass on property because it is more difficult to contest. Survivorship...

Many adult children and other beneficiaries of estates don’t know what they should expect when a parent or loved one passes away. The problem with them not knowing what to expect is that they may be caught off-guard by one person receiving a large inheritance or...

As you help your parents with their estate planning, they may express to you a wish to avoid probate. The first thing to do is to consider the size of their estate. For smaller estates that have less than $100,000 in real estate or less than $75,000 overall, probate...

Bringing up your parents' estate plan may have seemed unnecessary to you for years. However, watching a co-worker muddle through intestate probate proceedings because their mother didn't leave a will might motivate you. Now you know you need to talk to your parents...

When you create an estate plan, you decide what legacy you leave behind when you die. Typically, people worry about providing for their loved ones and fairly distributing their assets. A will or estate plan outlines your last wishes and describes what should happen to...

You need information about many different matters to craft your estate plan. You need up-to-date information about your assets and debts. You also need to understand the relationships you have with the people you love and that they have with one another. Estate...

When someone you love dies in Arizona, their estate is subject to Arizona state probate laws, regardless of where their family members and beneficiaries live. That means their estate will likely have to pass through the Arizona probate courts. Maybe this deceased...

No one wants to move into a nursing home as they get older. Most people would rather live independently or stay with family members as opposed to living in a communal facility in the care of strangers. However, when someone has pressing medical needs or experiences...

There are many times when an estate plan may not be as effective as it should be. Lacking key components or forgetting to add a specific asset into your estate plan can be problematic. The good news is that you can adjust your estate plan once you recognize the red...