Those looking to avoid liability for estate taxes or who want to ensure that a trust’s property and assets are protected should consider creating an irrevocable trust. These types of trusts cannot be changed without the permission of the beneficiaries. This is true even if the grantor himself wishes to change the terms of the […]

Most people associate estate planning with creating wills or trusts to dispose of personal property, real estate holdings, and bank account balances. However, in order to prevent a will or trust from being contested, testators and trustors must also be sure to designate beneficiaries who will collect insurance, pensions, and retirement benefits. Failing to take […]

When an elderly parent or grandparent plans their estate, they may be apprehensive about leaving substantial sums of money to teenagers or young adults, who may misspend or waste the funds. Some parents and grandparents attempt to avoid this by setting up a trust that distributes funds at certain ages. For instance, a grandchild could […]

Although it is not always possible to prevent a disgruntled family member from contesting a will,  there are steps that testators can take to help reduce the chances of a will contest. Unfortunately, even when testators are careful to abide by all procedural rules, their efforts may come to nothing if the family members are […]