People can make mistakes when estate planning. Moreover, when such errors occur, probate litigation can follow. It is costly and can permanently damage good relationships among heirs.Many residents of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, especially those who plan to leave a...
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Year: 2013
Start an estate planning conversation in the holidays
Families in Pennsylvania understand that in a family with adult children, having everyone together in one place is difficult. When they are all together to celebrate an occasion, death and incapacity don't usually come up as topics of conversation. However, the...
Assigning the right trustee to avoid estate mismanagement
Most Pennsylvanians know that when people die, control of their estates passes to someone left behind. To ensure the estate goes directly to the person's heirs and is not delayed by state-mandated probate, wills are drawn up. So if someone wants to make sure a...
The role of trusts in estate planning
It is easy to have the misconception that the use of trusts for estate planning purposes tilts toward upper-income people.After all, popular images of asset transfer, as they occur in books and movies, typically turn on dramatic will contests or in-your-face acts of...
Choosing a trustee for a troubled heir can help
Disinheriting a family member is a difficult decision. Here in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, some residents may feel conflicted about whether or not to transfer properties to loved ones after death. Leaving a legacy is important, in part, because it gives the...
Pennsylvania woman makes scholars beneficiaries
Someone's death need not be just about grieving. In some cases, it can mean a good start in life for others. An example of that is an aged Pennsylvanian woman who recently died, leaving a legacy of scholarship for up-and-coming young people.The woman finalized her...
How often should an estate plan be reviewed?
Any adult in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, who has substantial assets and wants to ensure that they go to someone specific may want to have an estate plan that becomes effective if the person becomes incapacitated as well as at death. There is no definite answer as to...
How a probate bond protects the heirs and the estate
Dying without a valid will can complicate the distribution of assets, but even executing a will can be complex. So, when a person dies and leaves a substantial estate, the survivors could be concerned about where the assets will go and who will manage them. A probate...
The challenge of intestacy: estate administration
Dying intestate can create complications for a person's estate and heirs. Without clear instructions on how a person's assets are to be divided among the beneficiaries, state law takes over. And the state will not necessarily do what the decedent wished or what the...
Things to consider while planning your estate
Leaving a legacy after death is the main goal people have when establishing wills, trusts and other financial instruments that will outlive them. However, there is no such thing as a perfect estate plan, and each tool does not necessarily meet the wishes of the...