Estate Planning

For some people, estate planning is primarily about the protection of beneficiaries. They want to leave resources for their spouses and children or name someone they trust to administer their estate. For others, concerns about their own medical vulnerability might...

People who are planning their estates often use a variety of tactics to keep their assets out of probate court. Strategic gifts can be an important element of a tax avoidance or wealth management strategy. Gifts that someone makes while they are still alive can...

A will is usually the foundational document of an estate plan. Having a will prevents you from dying “intestate” and having your assets distributed to your relatives in ways that are determined by the state (regardless of whether you wanted them to have anything). A...

Once someone reaches 18 years of age, they have the ability to create a will. Ohio allows any adults of sound mind to leave instructions regarding the distribution of their property and the care of their dependent family members if they die. Despite having this...

Retirement is often when people recognize they need to create or update an estate plan. Those preparing to enjoy their golden years may want to protect their assets and craft a legacy. They may also want to leave clear instructions about their medical wishes and what...

If you want your heirs to have the ultimate amount of flexibility with the assets that you leave them, you could detail instructions for their distribution in your will. For example, maybe you have $100,000 to leave to one of your heirs. You could simply say that it...

Some estate plans consist only of a will, while others may include a variety of documents. It is common for people to put certain paperwork in place to protect against medical incapacitation later in life or aggressive collection activity during their retirement. One...

Any time a major event happens in your life, you need to update your estate plan to reflect those changes. For example, in the past you may have set up a health care power of attorney with someone you trust, but after seeing how they reacted to a serious injury you...

If this is the first time that you heard the term, the concept of döstädning, or “death cleaning”, is not morbid at all. In fact, it is not limited to end-of-life activities but occurs at intervals throughout the lifetimes of many Swedish individuals. In Sweden, it is...

The majority of people in the United States believe that they should have an estate plan. They understand that it is important and that it can help their family. If you asked them if it was a necessary step to take, they would tell you that it is. However, the...