FAQs About Dying Without A Will, FAQs About Wills

Is There A Difference Between A Beneficiary And An Heir?

The words “Beneficiary” and “Heir” are often used interchangeably, but each word has a very specific legal definition. A beneficiary is someone who benefits from the transfer…

Planning for Special Circumstances

What Are You Waiting For? The Blessing of Planning Ahead

Most of my clients are healthy when they contact me. Estate planning is something in which they are engaging as a precautionary measure rather…

Planning for Special Circumstances

Tips for Designating IRA Beneficiaries

Wendy S. Goffe wrote a great guest article on Forbes.com last week that offered tips to avoid problems that can result from incomplete or inaccurate IRA beneficiary…

FAQs About Wills, Probating a Will

Can The Beneficiary Of My Estate Also Be My Executor?

I’ve received several emails the past few weeks asking whether it is possible for a beneficiary of an estate to also serve as executor. Naming someone as…

The Complexities of Intestacy in Blended Families

If You Are A Part of A Blended Family, You Need A Will

I got an email from someone whose husband died without a Will. She and her husband had been married for 17 years. He had three children from…

FAQs About Estate Planning

What is the Tax Consequence of Selling Property I Inherit or Receive As A Gift?

Several weeks ago, I received a phone call from a client whose elderly mother owned several pieces of real estate in an exclusive part of town. She had…

Planning for Special Circumstances

Growing Number of Americans Choosing Cremation

If you have decided to be cremated when you die, you’re one of a growing number of Americans making that choice. I came across an interesting infographic…

Planning for Special Circumstances

Don’t Keep Your Heirs in the Dark

If you or someone you know has been a beneficiary of an estate, you may have been exposed to the frustration and disagreements that…

Wacky Wills

Wacky Will Wednesday: Wills That Make You Go “Hmmm… “Rona Scroratow

NB: This post is part of a series highlighting wills that contain some interesting, and sometimes bizarre, bequests and stipulations. You can see…

FAQs About Estate Planning

How Can I Protect an Inherited IRA from Creditors?

If you’re like most Americans, one of your largest assets is your Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”). Your IRA is considered a “retirement fund” and the money it…