Estate Planning

Questions and Answers

1. Why can't my sister deposit a check made out to the estate of my father?

   - : You may have to go through a simple probate proceeding to transfer any property that goes directly to a deceased parent’s estate.
   1 Expert Answer

2. Does a written guide exist for trustees to refer to?

   - There are good self-help guides to being a trustee, but not all of them are created equally.
   1 Expert Answer

3. When there was no estate planning what happens to the estate?

   - When a person dies without a will, or intestate, his or her property is distributed according to a hierarchy set out in state law.
   1 Expert Answer

4. Are family corporations a good or bad idea?

   - My parents set up a family corporation to pass along their assets. Is a family corporation a good way to do this and to avoid taxes?
   1 Expert Answer

5. Can a will alone cover my dad's estate planning needs?

   - For some people, wills alone may be sufficient to direct how their assets should be divided at death. But they don’t pertain to issues outside of property.
   1 Expert Answer

6. How should my father balance estate planning, tax planning, and Medicaid look back rules?

   - How do you avoid Medicaid's look back rules? Look back rules mean assets given away five years before death are counted.
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7. How do we preserve my deceased father's estate when my mother remarries?

   - To find out whether you are slated to get family property when your mother remarries, you have to look at the underlying estate plan.
   1 Expert Answer

Topics, Blog Posts, Articles, Checklists, and To-Do Lists

1. What to Expect from a Trusts and Estates Attorney

   Article - A trust and estates attorney deals with a range of legal issues, including the drafting of wills, varying types of trusts, tax and estate planning. Find out the typical things to expect when dealing with one.

2. Revocable Living Trusts: A Beginner's Guide

   Article - Revocable living trusts: A beginner's guide. A revocable living trust is one of the most important documents for families to have in their estate plan.

3. 10 Things to Consider Including in a Will

   Article - Wills are generally the centerpiece of an estate plan, allowing people to direct how their property should be divided and who should get it after they die.