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When you’re faced with the task of being the executor of a loved one’s estate, you’ll likely be forced to grapple with several issues and questions you’re unprepared for. Specifically, many executors want to know what happens to the debts of someone when they pass away and whether they’ll be responsible for paying them. This is a complex question to address, and any time you’re administering the estate of someone else, you should consult with a probate attorney to ensure you’re doing everything correctly.

Creating a will allows you to provide certain instructions about how your estate and assets should be handled, distributed to inheritors, or disposed of following your death. However, several life changes may occur to you, your family, your finances, and assets after drafting your will. Such changes may include divorce, a new relationship, the arrival of a new baby, job loss, acquiring more assets, or retirement. As a result, you need to review and update your will.

Creating a well-detailed plan is imperative to provide specific instructions regarding how you want your estate and final affairs settled after you’re gone. However, different issues often arise when a parent who has dementia or cognitive impairment wants to create an estate plan.

Estate planning allows you to set forth specific instructions in advance concerning how your property, assets, and investments should be managed, disposed of, or distributed when you’re no more. However, when in a second marriage, there are several considerations you need to put in mind when drafting your estate plan.

With rising costs in almost every sector of society, it’s to be expected that people will look for ways to cut costs wherever they can. However, there are some goods and services where it may be worth it to spend a few more dollars to ensure you’re getting exactly what you want. One area where this may be particularly important is with estate planning. Nowadays, you can find numerous online estate planning forms and templates that advertise themselves to be fast and easy, but can you really trust these claims?

Estate planning is one of the most important things anyone can do to protect their loved ones. However, estate planning often gets overlooked amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is never too early to plan your estate.

Conflict can set in for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the parent didn’t leave a will, or the will seemed to favor one child disproportionately. Maybe the will was revised right before the parent’s death, leaving questions if someone unduly influenced the revision.

If you suspect that your loved one’s agent is abusing their power or misusing their POA privileges, contact an attorney immediately. The longer you wait, the more harm can be done and the less likely you are to prove that power of attorney abuse has occurred.

What happens if you’re the beneficiary of the estate – say a family member of the deceased – and you run into difficulties with the executor, who won’t return your phone calls or even talk to you? What can you do?

A power of attorney (POA) remains a vital estate planning tool that allows a person to name an agent who will act on their behalf in crucial financial, property, or health matters when they become unavailable or unable to do so. Unfortunately, some agents abuse their power and make decisions that are not in the principal’s best interests.