Many people think that estate plans are for someone else, not them. They may rationalize that they are too young or don’t have enough money to reap the tax benefits of a plan. But as the following list makes clear, estate planning … [Read more...]

We rely heavily on cars in our society; in many places, they are the only convenient link to the outside world. Unfortunately, as people age, driving can become more difficult and more dangerous. The elderly drive less, but have … [Read more...]

Have you considered your pet or pets when planning your estate? If not, you should, according to The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization."Since pets have shorter life spans, … [Read more...]

A court decision in Virginia highlights the potential dangers of relying on joint accounts for estate planning. Caine v. NationsBank, N.A. (Va. Sup. Ct., No. 002615, Sept. 14, 2001).In May 1989, Dr. Andrew A. Freier opened a … [Read more...]

Here’s another story about a person who tried to create an estate plan without an attorney’s help, and ended up causing huge problems for his beneficiaries.A California man wrote his own will, in which he divvied up his real … [Read more...]