Do You Need a Revocable or an Irrevocable Trust?

Many people planning for the future may want to place their home in a trust for their children. This is especially true if the house is paid off, and free and clear of a mortgage. However, what would happen if the home were placed in a trust and the senior then...

Taking Care of a Dying Parent’s Financial Affairs

It’s not uncommon for adult children to face a parent’s decline and the preparations associated with their passing. This includes how to handle their parent’s financial matters. Seniors Matter’s recent article entitled “How do I handle my father’s financial...

Can I Add Children’s Names to my House Deed?

There are many ways that this simple strategy can go very wrong, very quickly. If one of the joint owners is sued, or files for bankruptcy, the home is vulnerable. And that’s just the beginning. As any estate planning attorney will tell you, things change when...

Who Is the Best Fiduciary for a Power of Attorney?

Picking a person to serve as your agent or fiduciary under your Power of Attorney is an extremely important part of your estate plan. However, it is often treated like an afterthought once the will and trust documents are completed. Naming a fiduciary under your POA...

What Happens to a Parent’s Debt when They Die?

There are two common myths about what happens when parents die in debt, says a recent article “How your parents’ debt could outlive them” from the Greenfield Reporter. One is the adult child will be liable for the debt. The second is that the adult child won’t. If...

How Do You Pass Down a Vacation Home?

If your family enjoys a treasured vacation home, have you planned for what will happen to the property when you die? There are many different ways to keep a vacation home in the family. However, they all require planning to avoid stressful and expensive issues, says a...

When Do I Need to Review Will?

You should take a look at your will and other estate planning documents at least every few years, unless there are reasons to do it more frequently. Some reasons to do it sooner include things like marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, coming into a lot of...

Protect Your Furry Ones with a Pet Trust

One of the goals of estate planning is to care for loved ones, particularly those who depend on us for care after we have passed on. Wills, trusts, life insurance and beneficiary designations are all used to provide support to people—but what about pets? A Pet Trust...

Is Your Home Your Largest Asset or Biggest Liability?

If you’re a homeowner who’s ready to retire, you’ve most likely worked to pay off the home, while dreaming of the day when you could relax and live a mortgage-free, life while enjoying the fruits of your labor. However, Real Simple’s recent article...

How Do I Write a Will?

A poorly written or out-of-date will can be costly and ruin an otherwise well-planned estate. Yahoo Entertainment’s recent article entitled “11 Steps to Writing a Will” tells you how to get started and write a will in 10 simple steps: Choose your Beneficiaries. A big...