Category Archives: Wills and Probate
Small Estate Affidavit: How To Probate A Small Estate Without A Will
Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things we go through in our lives but losing a loved one who didn’t make the proper preparations before they passed can make the grieving process significantly more difficult. When a person passes away without a valid will this is called “intestate,” and the law… Read More »
Putting Your Affairs in Order
One of the hardest things for a person to think about is their own death. We spend our lives thinking we are the leading actor in an exciting movie that will never end. Then, one day, reality comes home to roost and we find ourselves with a few short weeks or months left to… Read More »
The Law of Gifts: No Strings Attached (For the Most Part)
‘Tis the season of giving, and hopefully by now all the things you intend to give have been got. I know of some folks who not only have all of their shopping done, but also have everything wrapped already. Likewise, I know of some folks who still have some shopping or wrapping to do—or… Read More »
To Probate Or Not To Probate, That Is The Question
A question I am often asked is, “When do you have to probate?” The basic answer is, you probate a Will when you need to transfer property title. As I have blogged before, trust “peddlers” are out pushing the sale of their trusts with the pitch that, with this approach you can avoid probate…. Read More »
Will Writing: Have You Lived a Simple Little Life?
What would you do as a lawyer if your client, an astronaut, was in an accident while in space that prevented his return and he called you wanting a will? This was a real question asked on my exam in law school for my Will and Trust class back in the early 1980s. I… Read More »