Maybe you have already made your will or intend to do so. If so, then you have taken an important step toward ensuring that your assets are distributed according to your wishes after your death. That should give you some peace of mind. However, there are certain...
A will is a crucial estate planning tool that speaks for you when you are no longer around. It outlines your wishes with respect to how you want your assets to be distributed when you pass on. If you die intestate, the state law will determine what happens to your...
Something just did not seem right about your father’s will. Even well before his death, you sensed something amiss in his life despite living miles away and seeing him infrequently. His physical and mental health had been failing the decade. He became too trusting...
Even if someone passes away with a will in place, a dispute can still arise between surviving beneficiaries regarding the decedent’s estate. Talk-show host Larry King recently passed away and left behind a handwritten will written in October 2019 stating that he...
While the debate continues about which is better to have, a will or a trust, it is essential to understand just how important it is to have a will at the very least. Believe it or not, 55% of Americans do not have any estate plan, let alone a will. And of those who do...
Generally speaking, probate courts in California and elsewhere in America stick as closely as possible to the words written in a will. However, it may be possible for an interested party to challenge the validity of the will. Statistically, a deceased person's spouse...
One of the first questions that must be answered when a will is contested in California is who are the interested parties. And while this question may seem simple enough on the surface, it can be a complicated question to answer in some cases. In fact, the petitioner...
When a person dies with a will in California, the will must pass through probate court before any assets listed in the will are distributed to the identified beneficiaries. While the will is in probate court, any interested party can contest the validity of the will....
Some people who are creating an estate plan might be concerned that it could be vulnerable to challenges. There are ways to make a will contest less likely. First, people should not put off creating a will. The document should be made when there is no question about...
Estate planning is a subject many people find easy to put off for another day, even though they realize it is one they should address. Those California residents who have begun the process by creating a will should be pleased with that accomplishment but also realize...
