power of attorney

Successor Attorney-in-Fact

by Jayne Sykora April 11, 2013 Estate Planning 101

One goal of estate planning is to plan for the unforeseen. To do this, in most estate planning documents, a successor is typically named for each primary role. That way, if the primary person(s) that [...]

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Obligations & Liabilities of Attorneys-in-Fact

by Jayne Sykora March 14, 2013 Estate Planning 101

In previous posts, the importance of having a Power of Attorney has been discussed (see Maggie Green‘s “The Power of Attorney In Real Life” and my post “Powers of Attorney: The Basics”). In general, the [...]

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Do I Still Need An Estate Plan?

by Jen Santini January 23, 2013 Estate Planning 101

Some people continue to ask why they need an estate plan, especially since Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which made the $5 million federal estate tax exemption permanent. The question is often, “If [...]

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Guardianship Basics

by Mary Szondy October 17, 2012 Guest Articles

What is a Guardianship? A guardianship is a determination by the Court that a person (proposed ward) is incapacitated.  The judge must make this decision based upon clear and convincing evidence. “Incapacitated person” means an [...]

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Pre-Planning for Death: Part 1

by Jill Sauber October 2, 2012 Guest Articles

This is the first in a three part series on pre-planning for your death. This series is written by Jill Sauber, a current law student and licensed mortician.    People often segue into talking about [...]

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The “Power of Attorney” in Real Life

by Maggie Green September 25, 2012 Estate Planning 101

Some clients know how important the Power of Attorney document is. They may have acted as attorney-in-fact for a spouse or an elderly relative. Or they may have experienced first hand the challenges created when [...]

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Preparing for the Death of a Spouse

by Jayne Sykora January 28, 2012 Estate Planning 101

Losing a spouse is a heart-wrenching event that can be difficult, if not unbearable, to even plan for. Therefore, many surviving spouses are not prepared for the death of their spouse and subsequently have to [...]

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Young, Single, Childless and Broke? You Still Need an Estate Plan

by Michelle Vesole January 10, 2012 Estate Planning 101

It is a common misconception that estate planning is only necessary for the wealthy or those with a spouse and children. However, all individuals, no matter what their financial situation may be, can benefit from [...]

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Guardian, Conservator & Custodian – What’s the Difference?

by Jen Santini June 29, 2011 Estate Planning 101

Clients can become confused and overwhelmed by the various roles and individuals named in their estate plan. In a previous post, I outlined the traditional key players in a typical estate plan. However, guardians, conservators [...]

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TV Lessons: Raising Hope on Avoiding Probate Litigation

by Maggie Green March 4, 2011 Probate

Okay, I admit.  I spend my free weekday evenings parsing through my Google Reader with the TV on in the background.  This week, two shows that I have never seen before caught my attention; not [...]

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Wedding Bells Ringing?

by Jen Santini December 12, 2010 Estate Planning 101

Each year thousands of people who will be getting married need to consider whether or not they will change their last name.  This no longer applies just to women. More often, men are considering changing [...]

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