The Perils of Joint Property People often set up bank accounts or real estate so that they own them jointly with a spouse or other family member. The appeal of joint ownership, specifically with survivorship rights, is that when one owner dies, the o…
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Can I Leave My Spouse Out of My Estate Plan? The relationship between spouses is special in all contexts, not the least of which is the estate planning context. In many instances, you can exclude people from your estate plan, including your parents,…
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5 Tragic Mistakes People Make When Leaving an Inheritance to Their Pets Planning for your pets in your estate plan is an excellent way to ensure that your beloved pet will receive proper care and attention after you pass on. The problem, of course, i…
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Three Tips for Overwhelmed Executors While it is an honor to be named as a trusted decision maker, also known as an executor or personal representative, in a person’s will, it can often be a sobering and daunting responsibility. Being an executor r…
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Ways Your Will Can Be Revoked A will (which should be accompanied by other important documents such as healthcare and financial powers of attorney, as well as an advance healthcare directive) is a foundational estate planning document. However, accor…
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The Power of Purpose: Unveiling the Impact of Charitable Giving Compared to residents of other wealthy nations, Americans are more likely to give their time and money to help others. In 2023, the United States ranked ninth in per capita gross domesti…
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Estate Planning Is About Knowing Your Priorities Thinking about the world and how our loved ones will fare after we pass away can be very difficult. Although we all know that we will pass away at some point, this is not something most people like to…
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Estate Administration Details that TV and Movies Get Wrong While television and movies provide great entertainment, they are not always factual. Even shows based on real events are not entirely accurate. Creators of television programs and movies wil…
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5 Essential Legal Documents You Need for Incapacity Planning Comprehensive estate planning involves more than just planning for your legacy after your death, avoiding probate, and reducing taxes. Good estate planning also appoints people to make lega…
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Are Pensions Treated the Same in Your Estate Plan as Other Retirement Accounts? The first private pension plan in the United States was established in the late 1800s. Through 1980, nearly 40 percent of Americans were covered by a traditional employer…
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