Many people have prized animals that they keep as both pets and assets. They may have a dog that is a national dog show winner or an animal that has taken the internet by storm and gained unimaginable fame. When you have a pet that is so valuable to you, it’s a good...
I wrote the book on Minnesota probate.
Year: 2021
3 times Minnesota estate administrators have to worry about taxes
The person who serves as the administrator of an estate has many different responsibilities. They need to locate and secure the assets of the estate. They have to notify beneficiaries and creditors about probate proceedings. They have to file paperwork with the...
3 important estate planning updates for after divorce
You share almost every aspect of your life with your spouse, so divorce will mean major upheaval for both of you. Once you sort out how to split up your property and handle matters involving any children that you share, you likely want to put the marriage behind you...
A good estate plan protects you during your lifetime
When you are looking into estate planning, one of the things you should remember is that it’s not all about passing on your assets. Certain parts of your estate plan are there to help protect your best interests and to make sure you’re cared for the way you want to be...
Is a will enough to prevent probate?
Many people feel that having a will is enough to help their family avoid probate after their death, but that isn’t necessarily the truth. A will doesn’t necessarily avoid probate, though it may make probate faster and easier. If you want to avoid probate, you need to...
4 mistakes that can happen if you don’t set up an estate plan
Estate planning may not be a particularly fun process, but it is still very important. Putting the right documents in place now will protect you if you experience a medical emergency. It will also establish the legacy you want to leave behind, thereby protecting the...
Unequal bequests can lead to estate disputes
Unequal bequests may create all manner of issues for a family after a parent’s passing, including increasing the odds of an estate dispute. When one person gets less than their siblings or other members of the will, they don’t always take it well. The perception of...
What happens when siblings disagree over the family estate?
Parents often spend a long time thinking about the best and most reasonable way to split property among children in their estate plan. Some parents opt to evenly split everything among them. Others assign specific assets to certain people. Either approach has benefits...
2 tactics to keep your home from going through probate court
When you die, the biggest assets that you leave behind can help provide for your family members. Other than retirement savings or a life insurance policy, your primary residence is probably your most expensive asset. Whether you expect your family members to live in...
How can you prevent will contests and protect your estate?
Will contests sometimes occur when people who stand to inherit an estate, or who have been dropped from an estate plan and will, argue that they should get more than was left to them. To avoid this kind of trouble, one of the things you can do is set up a no-contest...