Estate Planning

Proper estate planning allows for successful estate administration. When someone doesn't think ahead, their executors are left scrambling to determine their wishes and follow them. The more assets that someone has, the more crucial proper estate planning is. Bigger...

Putting together a comprehensive estate plan can mean needing to consider issues that you would otherwise prefer to avoid. Planning for your death means that you have to reflect on your own mortality and on what will happen to the people you love if you aren't there...

While the American divorce rate is on the decline, separation remains common among U.S. couples. The American Psychological Association estimates that between 40 and 50% of marriages nationwide ultimately end in divorce. Naturally, many parents eventually remarry and...

Protecting your wishes can be as easy as creating a living will. A living will is a document that helps you state what your wishes are if you become seriously ill or impaired. Most people know what their wishes are if they’re hurt and able to speak for themselves, but...

When a person has a second or third marriage, he or she must carefully craft an estate plan to avoid arguments that may arise about inheritance. The situation becomes even more complicated when someone has children from several different relationships.  Review the...

Recently, there has been a rise in electronic or digital wills. People choose to create or update their estate plan using the internet or software instead of working with an attorney in an office. These documents allow people who possibly can't leave their homes to...

Creating an estate plan is an essential part of planning your future, but many people do not even have a will. A recent study from Caring.com discovered that among every 10 Americans, only four have a will or a trust.  Creating an estate plan can protect your wishes...

There are many different factors that can complicate estate administration and planning. Complicated assets, legal ownership of a business and unusual family dynamics are all issues that could make planning your estate more difficult. Blended families are a common...

If you have children from a first marriage, entering into a second or third marriage has implications for their ability to inherit your estate. If you die without a will in Minnesota, your spouse will receive the first $225,000 in assets from your estate plus half the...

Many people put off estate planning. Perhaps they prefer not to think about death while they are young and healthy. The old saying goes, “failing to plan is planning to fail.” That is a very accurate statement when it comes to estate planning. If people in your life...