Creating a comprehensive estate plan is one of the more effective ways to maintain control over what happens to a person's assets after he or she dies. Nowadays, though, many estate plans also deal with end-of-life matters, such as critical care decision-making,...
Probate
Probate Shortcuts – Part 1 – Real Estate
Virginia offers a few shortcuts in probate that not every state offers. One such shortcut is if the only asset that needs to be probated is real estate in Virginia. That means all other assets either had a joint owner on them (for example, a joint bank account) or had...
ARE “IN LAWS” ENTITLED TO A PORTION OF MY ESTATE?
The following question was asked on Avvo.com by a person in Roanoke, Virginia:"Is my wife's sister's husband entitled to assets from her brother's estate? My wife's brother passed away without a will, he was divorced for 35 years and had no children. His only...
Probate – What is Involved and Can I Avoid It?
Many people believe that having a Will avoids the probate process entirely. Unfortunately, those individuals are mistaken. Every person should have a Will in their estate plan in order to name a person to handle your estate when you pass away (Executor); state how...