Instead of fighting with siblings over an estate matter, many baby boomers are now facing a totally different estate administration conundrum — sorting out the mess when their parents died outright broke or heavily indebted. This scenario plays out far more...
Testators often draft wills with the expectation that their final wishes will be carried out as per their instructions when they die. Things don't always go according to plans, though. Wills can be challenged or invalidated based on their contents and the laws in the...
When you're in charge of handling someone else's estate, the list of tasks you have to manage can seem endless. One of those tasks involves canceling the deceased's credit cards, automatic payments, subscriptions and other reoccuring charges.Where do you start? First,...
What's considered proper etiquette when it comes to discussing death and inheritance?Conversations between family members about the eventuality of death and subsequent inheritances are often awkward and uncomfortable. They're only made more so because people aren't...
One of the hardest things about drafting an estate plan isn't facing your own mortality -- it's picking the executor.Why is it so difficult? Mostly because there are a lot of different factors to consider, not the least of which are family dynamics. Here are the top...
Knowing how to talk to your children about their inheritance is tough -- you want to address the issues you see ahead but you also don't want to create unnecessary drama.Far too many parents fail to have the necessary discussions with their children. Instead of...
Do you feel pretty comfortable with your end-of-life documents and plans?If you have a will, a power of financial attorney, a power of medical attorney, a living will and any other documents put together so that your estate is handled the way that you want it to be...
Creating an estate plan brings peace of mind as well as a sense of accomplishment. While there are many tasks involved in estate planning, one of the most important is selecting the right estate executor. This process calls for careful consideration and an attorney...
Many North Carolina residents assume that estate administration is automatic following their death, but we want to advise our readers that estate planning comes first. In other words, you must have certain documentation in place before your estate administration can...
Do you think high-value items are most likely to cause conflict between heirs? Maybe you assume people would fight over the family fortune, especially if life-changing money and assets are involved.While people certainly can and do fight over these assets, many warn...
