» Probate

Judges are supposed to be impartial and not allow any personal issues to get in the way with the fair administration of justice. One probate judge in Maine illustrates that is not always what actually happens. York County Probate Judge Robert M.A. Na… Read More

There are many reasons to want to avoid probate for your estate. One of them is that probate can get very expensive. One doctor's bill in a case in New Hampshire illustrates just how expensive. The story of Geraldine Webber's estate has bee… Read More

The most common estate planning mistake may surprise you. "The mistake actually isn't part of the will and trust," said Dan Prebish, head of life services events at Wells Fargo Advisors, based in St. Louis. "It actually has to do… Read More

Three diseases, leading killers of Americans, often involve long periods of decline before death. Two of them — heart disease and cancer — usually require expensive drugs, surgeries and hospitalizations. The third, dementia, has no effective trea… Read More

In February of 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed when a plane Holly chartered at the last minute crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa. The event later became known as "t… Read More

A recent appellate court decision in Michigan means that it is possible for attorneys to be unethical and still profit from the wills they create. Every state has a basic ethical rule for attorneys: an attorney cannot draft a will for a non-relative… Read More

If you plan on leaving a sizable amount of money to your heirs, it's understandable to be concerned about estate taxes. After all, the top Federal estate tax rate of 40% could take a nasty bite out of a multi-million dollar estate, and that'… Read More

From shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations, goes the early 20th-century American proverb. Then there's the 19th-century British version: Clogs to clogs in three generations. And from Italy, date uncertain: From the stable to the star… Read More