The Death Tax Not Gone  The death tax? Sounds funny, but it’s anything but.  There are still a great number of questions about estate taxes.  Unfortunately, many people believe the sound bites that have pronounced the death of the death tax.  These have been greatly exaggerated, to say the least.  Many people have the mistaken impression that the federal… Continue reading Is The Death Tax Gone?

Settling Legal Wills The last will and testament will not settle over night.  Beneficiaries often find themselves at odds over the disbursement of property after the death of a decedent.  Sometimes it’s over the property or the value of the property itself.  Sometimes it’s just that fact that it cannot happen immediately.  Most beneficiaries think that once the… Continue reading Last Will & Testament 101

Terminating your rights under a will for the better statutory provisions Why would you renounce a will?  If there is a Will, the surviving spouse can renounce it and the inheritance it contains (if any), and instead elect to take a share of the estate specifically provided by state law.  This is a legal device originally intended for… Continue reading Renouncing a Will

When a person has a “life estate” in a piece of property (most commonly, a house and the contents within it), he/she enjoys almost the same rights in that property as would an “absolute” owner – but only for his/her life.  The idea of a life estate is best illustrated with a typical example, the “subsequent marriage”… Continue reading The Basics of a Life Estate

Last will and testament and legal considerations  How does a will and the law treat an estate when both people die at the same time?  The answer, of course, depends on whether any planning has been done. The most important planning, however, is practical, not legal. First, have you found a capable and willing guardian… Continue reading How Does a Last Will and Testament Treat Simultaneous Death