Americans aren't planning ahead—and that could be problematic for both individuals and their loved ones in the future.According to a recent study, less than half of American adults have any kind of estate planning documents in place. Only slightly more than 40...
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Kennett Square Pennsylvania Probate & Estate Law Blog
Is your inheritance marital property in Pennsylvania?
If you inherit something of value or a large sum of money from a relative, is that yours to keep even in a divorce?Logically, you might think so. Legally, the best answer anyone can give you without looking into the exact situation is, "Maybe." This is why. 1)...
Donating your body or organs when you die: A primer
A lot of people like the idea of donating their organs to help other people in need have a better life. They also like the idea of donating their body to science, in order to further scientific or medical research in any number of ways.However, that's a topic that can...
Does your will include access to digital assets and accounts?
How current is your will? Unless you have a section of your will or other estate planning documents that specifically addresses the issue of your digital property and assets, it's a good time to update.Digital property and assets are quickly becoming one of the...
Tenancy by the entirety can’t hold if it’s a fraudulent transfer
Tenancy by the entirety can give married couples most of the same advantages and disadvantages of joint tenancy. When one spouse dies, the other spouse obtains full ownership without the property having to go through probate.It also has one other aspect that makes it...
How do you revoke a will?
The right to decide who gets what out of everything from your real estate holdings to your personal property once you die is important, which is why everyone needs a will, no matter what your age. If you die without one, the laws of your state will take over and...
Court allows same-sex adoptions to dissolve so partners can marry
One more stumbling block in the path of same-sex unions seeking legitimacy has been removed, at least in Pennsylvania.In the last few decades, the laws in the United States regarding same-sex unions created a patchwork quilt of rights that varied widely among the...
Small value estates: How to divide up personal items fairly
In Pennsylvania, there's a provision in the law that allows some small estates to avoid the probate process altogether.In order to qualify, the total value of a deceased individual's assets has to be less than $50,000 and can't include real estate. You'll still have...
Can a no-contest clause keep a will out of court?
For many people, a large part of the purpose of a will is to make sure that their estate is distributed the way that they want it to be distributed. Unfortunately, fights between surviving relatives over who was given more than their fair share or who was denied what...
Keeping elders safe from estate fraud
Legitimate estate planning is something that everyone can use as a vehicle both to grow their wealth and to protect it for their heirs once they are gone.However, scam artists frequently feed on the fears of elderly people, who worry both about running out of money to...