As you prepare your estate plan, you could face a conundrum. Perhaps you have one or more heirs who never learned how to successfully manage their finances. They may struggle with gambling or substance abuse issues, nor be married to spouses who control all the money...
Putting your estate plans together probably felt like a chore when you did it. Then, if you’re like the vast majority of other people, you likely chucked all the papers in a file and forgot about them. That’s a mistake. Estate plans are seldom static. They should be...
There is no denying that probate is a stressful process for survivors and estate executors. Unfortunately, it is typically necessary, especially in estates that lack wealth preservation components like trusts and payable-on-death accounts. Probate can be complex and...
When you’re putting your estate plans together, you have a lot of decisions that you need to make – not the least of which is who you want to name as your executor. Your executor is the person who is ultimately responsible for making sure that your wishes are...
Don’t assume that estate planning is something you’ll do when you are a grandparent or after you retire. Many people do put it off until then. But the truth is that you might need to create a plan much sooner than you expected. For example, one of the best times to...
Advance directives allow you to designate an individual to make healthcare decisions for you should an illness or accident leave you incapacitated. Two common directives are a healthcare power of attorney and a living will because they empower you to continue...
The Ohio real estate market is always changing, and those who own real property often try to time their listings to maximize the return on their investment. For example, many real estate professionals will suggest listing a property in late winter or the first days of...
Have you ever made an estate plan? If not, then you should know that estate planning is the anticipatory process of arranging your assets and finances for distribution after your passing. In other words, you know one day you’re going to die and you want your family...
When Benjamin Franklin wrote, “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes,” he likely wasn’t in your position as an executor of an estate who has to file a loved one’s final income tax return. However, that quote is nonetheless applicable. Along with...
Contracts provide information about agreements between businesses and individuals. These documents should be detailed so they provide as much protection as possible. This doesn’t mean that you need it to be overly wordy or more complicated than necessary. Some...