An ethical will is one way that New Jersey residents who are creating an estate plan may pass on their values to their family. It is separate from the will and other estate planning documents and might be thought of as a letter to family members describing the most...
Results-Oriented Legal Services
Year: 2016
Size of Prince’s estate believed to be around $200 million
New Jersey residents who are fans of Prince are likely aware that the star, who died suddenly in April, apparently did not have a will. Since he didn't have an estate plan in place, his sister and five half-siblings stand to inherit his extensive assets. According to...
The importance of having a will
In a 2011 poll, nearly 60 percent of Americans admitted that they had no will. While many New Jersey residents may think they're too young to start worrying about the future of their assets, having a will is important for adults of all ages. In most cases where there...
Grounds for challenging a probated will
Generally speaking, it is difficult to successfully challenge a will in New Jersey. Around 99 percent of wills nationwide are upheld in their entirety by probate courts. That said, anyone who may have an interest in the estate can bring a challenge. There are several...
Updating estate plans before remarrying
Getting married more than once is a common occurrence among Americans According to the Pew Research Center, 40 percent of marriages in 2013 were remarriages. Another survey has found that an estimated 9 percent of U.S. residents have an out-of-date will and 63 percent...
Reason to put a home in a living trust
Only about 20 percent of Americans create a living trust, but there are many advantages to doing. One of the biggest advantages for a New Jersey resident is to avoid the probate process, which can delay the transfer of of decedent's assets by up to a year. If...
Long-term care big consideration with estate planning
Longer lifespans increase the chances of some New Jersey residents experiencing disability in their last years of life. The cost of paying a nursing home during those final years could deplete all of a person's assets. To protect at least a portion of their assets,...
How a trust can fit into estate planning
Residents of New Jersey who are considering their final expenses and estate planning may encounter difficult questions, particularly when they have several children or other relatives and are uncertain of the best way to distribute their assets. One way to deal with...
Deciding whether to create an irrevocable trust
New Jersey residents who are thinking about their estate plan might wonder whether an trust would be a good vehicle for passing assets on to loved ones. A trust may give them greater control over the distribution. For example, certain conditions can control the timing...
Trust protection provisions
Most people in New Jersey who want to avoid the probate process for the distribution of their estates after they die know that revocable trusts are a means of doing so. Since the court does not oversee trusts, people might wonder who handles their administration. In...