Estate Planning
Inheritance Advance: How It Works, Costs and Risks
Weigh today's cash against the inheritance you give up later. An inheritance advance provides money before an expected estate distribution, commonly in exchange for…
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Estate Planning
Practical U.S. estate-planning guides covering wills, trusts, beneficiaries, probate, powers of attorney, advance directives, property transfers, and legacy decisions.
Estate Planning
What Is an Estate? Assets, Debts and What Happens After Death
Understand what you own, what you owe and what your family may inherit. What is an estate? An estate is the property and financial…
Estate Planning
Transfer on Death Deed: How It Works, Benefits and State Rules
Plan the transfer while keeping ownership today. A transfer on death deed, often called a TOD deed, names a beneficiary to receive an owner’s…
Estate Planning
Disclaimer Trust: How It Works, Benefits and Important Rules
Preserve choices without overlooking the rules. A disclaimer trust is an estate-planning arrangement in which property a beneficiary declines can pass into a trust…
Estate Planning
Letters Testamentary: What They Are and How to Obtain Them
Proof of authority comes from the court, not just the will. Letters testamentary are court-issued documents showing that an executor has been appointed to…
Estate Planning
Estate Account: What It Is, How to Open One and Who Can Use It
Keep estate money separate, organized, and accountable. An estate account is a bank account used by an authorized personal representative to manage money belonging…
Estate Planning
Certification of Trust: What It Is and When You Need It
A certification of trust is a document that summarizes selected facts about an existing trust and the authority of its trustee. It can help…
Estate Planning
Testate vs Intestate: What Happens With and Without a Will?
The difference between testate vs intestate is whether someone dies with a valid will. A person who leaves a valid will dies testate. Someone…
Estate Planning
How to Put a House in a Trust: Steps, Costs and Mortgage Considerations
Learning how to put a house in a trust starts with two separate tasks: creating an appropriate trust and completing the legal transfer of…
Financial Planning
Trust Protector: Role, Powers and When You Might Need One
Clear powers. Defined responsibilities. A trust built for change. A trust protector is a person or organization given specific authority over a trust, such…
Financial Planning
Probate Bond: Requirements, Costs and Waivers
A probate bond is a financial guarantee that helps protect an estate’s heirs and creditors if its court-appointed representative fails to carry out required…
Estate Planning
Joint Accounts After Death: 5 Steps for Surviving Owners
Joint accounts after death often pass to the surviving owner, but that outcome is not automatic for every account. In the United States, the…