People don’t like to talk about wills. For some it’s a fear of mortality, for others it’s a preference to keep finances and family separate. Whatever the reason, the failure to talk about a will makes it harder for those who will (or will not) inherit property to understand and accept it when the time comes.
Before you say "yes" to being an executor, consider this
Being an executor is not an easy job. There will be financial matters, legal matters and emotional matters for you to navigate -- and some of these issues may not be things you're familiar with. For example, have you ever had to balance the desires of two brothers fighting over a prized family painting? Have you ever had to read an investment account statement? Do you know anything about taxes?
Attorney: Aretha Franklin died without will or trust
In her storied career, the Queen of Soul had gold and platinum records galore, a priceless talent and the enduring love of millions of devoted fans. However, Aretha Franklin did not have a will or trust when she died of pancreatic cancer a few days ago.
Critical steps to take as an estate administrator
If someone you love recently died, you may find yourself serving as the administrator or executor of the estate or perhaps as trustee. The job of handling someone else's estate is a dubious honor. If someone names you to this critical role, that clearly means they trust your ability to handle the stresses involved. However, it also means you have to do a lot of work, often without much additional compensation beyond the inheritance you would have received anyway.
Using death beneficiaries to avoid probate for your heirs
Probate proceedings can be costly and time-consuming. In the worst cases, a probated estate can take years to resolve. For this reason, most Florida estate planners will take action by whatever means possible to prevent their heirs from needing to wait through probate proceedings in order to receive their inheritances.
This isn't the way to avoid Florida probate
You want the best for your children, of course, so you would like for them to avoid legal complications when you're gone. So you've hit upon a way for them to avoid Florida probate on your estate and dodge its time-consuming complications - or so you might believe.
A winding tale of money, prison, probate and family
The story of a father and son winds though life and death, from Florida to New Hampshire, and from freedom to prison. Both the father and son lived in both states at times before the older man's death in 2010. The 53-year-old son currently lives about 100 miles north of Brevard County in DeLeon Springs.
Where there's a will there's a way: 7 reasons to draft a will
It's surprising how many people don't have a finalized estate plan or even a will. When these individuals pass away, their families will have a more difficult and costly time trying to put all the necessary affairs in order. Also, if these individuals become physically or mentally incapacitated, family members will struggle to determine who should be in charge of caring for the person.
