As an estate planning attorney, I see what happens firsthand if somebody dies without a will. It's a common occurrence. In fact, most studies find that roughly half of Americans don't have one. It is called dying "intestate" if you pass away without an estate plan....

When writing a will and estate plan, there are many legal terms you need to know throughout the process. My clients routinely ask about these terms and the difference between them. Two common words that can mean drastically different things for your estate are...

Upon your passing, your estate will go into a system called “probate.” Everything is subject to your will and the applicable laws for its final disposition. The process can be long and complicated, especially if you have a lot of assets. It’s...

People often have questions about what probate is and how it works. They also have heard things about probate in the news or from friends. Not all of what is said about it seems to be positive. Here are some basics to help you navigate this aspect of estate planning....

With a growing number of baby boomers entering advanced age, what should be a person’s golden years can turn into a nightmare. Recent investigative reporting has delved into the seedy underbelly of senior care in the United States. As each state battles the...

It’s not a pleasant question to ask yourself, but if you were to unexpectedly expire in an automobile accident, what would happen to your fur baby? Many of us think that close family members of friends would carry on the care and nurture of our pets, but sadly,...

If your contact with your aging parents, due to job responsibilities or geographical distance, is sporadic, you may miss the first indicators that one or both is experiencing mild cognitive impairment. It can be shocking to visit after several months and see obvious...

You're still young, so you may not think you need to worry about having a will. While you could live to be 70 or even reach 100, there's also the possibility that you could pass away much sooner. The idea that younger people don't need a will is false. Not having a...

Estate planning is something you should begin to think about early in life. For example, most people realize in their 20s or 30s that an estate plan is a must. By the time you reach your 50s, you will look back and realize that a lot has changed over the years. For...

One of the important components of an estate plan has to do with making decisions now about what is going to happen if you aren't able to make those decisions in the future. This is actually something that many people don't like to think about, but planning now can...