Individuals often seek the comfort that a comprehensive estate plan provides. The ability to prevent heated family disputes by carefully making plans centered on the distribution of assets, wealth and responsibility through wills, trusts and powers of attorney is...
Probate
What is the Probate Process?
Probate is the legal process for authenticating a deceased person's will, reviewing their assets, paying their outstanding debts and taxes, and distributing what remains to their inheritors. After an asset-holder dies, the court will appoint a valid will's executor to...
How you can plan for potential probate disputes
As you revise your will, you may want to reconsider some of its provisions. Since its beneficiaries will receive your assets in probate court, you will want to ensure a smooth disbursement process. Yet, you may sense potential for conflicts or challenges between them,...
Understanding the probate process
People often face a myriad of emotions when a close friend or family member passes away. Not only are people forced to deal with an emotional time, but there are a host of issues to take care of involving the deceased’s estate. Depending on the circumstances of the...
Cases in Canada Shed Light on U.S. Estate Planning No-Nos
A court ruling in Canada presents an important reminder for our blog readers. Canada, of course, has a different law system from that of the United States, but the issue itself is one that often comes up in our discussions with Geyer Law estate planning clients,...
Is Probate the Dirty Word in Estate Planning?
“’Probate’ is one of the dirtiest words in all of estate planning,” quips Tom Nawrocki in LifeHealthPro. Many clients focus on setting up their estate and their will with the express purpose of avoiding probate, he explains....
