Preparing for the future is important, but topics such as your end of life decisions are difficult. Nonetheless, making these choices in advance for yourself is invaluable for your peace of mind and for your family. In an estate planning meeting, you want to ensure...
Many people are prone to procrastinating estate planning because it is not a top priority or a favorite topic. While most have plenty of time before a will is needed, parents of young children have good reasons to think of estate planning now. Estate planning...
If you are considering a divorce or are in the process of a divorce, you may want to take steps to protect your estate before the divorce is final. A spouse is entitled to a portion of their spouse’s estate regardless of how the estate...
Many people believe that trust funds are only for the rich and those who intend to gift millions of dollars. A trust fund could be right for you even if you want to leave a smaller amount to your family. A trust is an entity that...
Estate planning is not the first thing on your to-do list this holiday season, but maybe it should be. People procrastinate estate planning because they do not know where to begin, the idea is depressing, they do not feel they have enough financial knowledge, or...
There are two certainties in this world: death and taxes. Now that we’ve acknowledged the inevitable, the necessary follow-up question is, what are we going to do about it? Estate planning is not just about avoiding estate taxes. A thoughtful estate plan can help efficiently and...
As previously discussed in another post, “The Estate Planning Four-Pack”, there are two documents often used in tandem to help plan for one’s medical treatment: the Living Will and the Healthcare Power of Attorney. Although both documents deal with medical decisions, there are some important...
In 2013, the State Legislature amended South Carolina Probate Code Section 62-2-507. Also known as the ‘revocation by divorce statute,' Section 62-2-507 revokes a testator’s will to the extent necessary to omit an ex-spouse from inheriting from the testator’s estate. The 2013 amendment expanded the ‘revocation...
The role of the personal representative is to step into the shoes of the deceased – Judge Frank Simon For those of you who have a will, the term personal representative is a familiar one. For those of you who do not have a will, in contemplating one, become...