Legacy Care Law Firm

There is a very good chance that you will find yourself in the Massachusetts probate court at some point in your life. You could be there as the Executor or Personal Representative of the estate of someone who recently died. You could also be there because you are a beneficiary or heir of an estate. Regardless of the reason, it can be somewhat intimidating to find yourself involved in a legal matter in a court with which you are unfamiliar. Although every probate process is as unique as the … [Read more...] about What to Expect in the Massachusetts Probate Court

To create a successful, comprehensive, estate plan, you need to focus on more than just the distribution of your estate assets when you are gone. In fact, a well thought out estate plan typically includes a variety of different components that make use of numerous different estate planning tools and strategies. In order to determine what components should be included in your estate plan, you must first consider what your estate planning needs and goals are. One common estate planning goal is … [Read more...] about Probate Estate Assets vs. Non-Probate Assets

Your Last Will and Testament will likely provide the foundation for your entire estate plan. As such, the decisions you make in your Will should be made only after careful consideration. This applies not only to decisions that relate to the distribution of your estate assets, but also to the decision of who to appoint as the Executor of your estate. People frequently make the mistake of simply filling in the name of a spouse, family member, or close friend as the Executor in their Last Will and … [Read more...] about What Does the Executor of a Will Do?

The probate process in any state can be a time consuming and frustrating process for everyone involved under the best of circumstances. Unfortunately, however, the probate process often takes place under circumstances that are less than ideal. If you are involved in the probate of an estate in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for example, and someone challenges the Last Will and Testament submitted to the court for probate, it will have a direct impact on the probate process itself. If you … [Read more...] about What Happens If a Will Contest Is Filed during the Probate Process in Massachusetts?

In the normal course of events, formal probate is required following the death of an individual. Formal probate, however, can cost the estate a considerable amount of money and cost the beneficiaries in terms of time. If you are involved in the probate of an estate in the State of New Hampshire, you may be wondering if New Hampshire probate law offers an alternative to formal probate for small estates. The good news is that if the estate qualifies it may be possible to avoid both the time and … [Read more...] about Does New Hampshire Probate Law Offer an Alternative for Small Estates?

A comprehensive estate plan should do much more than simply decide who will receive your assets when you are gone. Exactly which additional components you will add to your estate plan will depend on your specific needs, wishes, and goals. One popular goal, however, of estate planning is probate avoidance. In order to know why so many people include probate avoidance strategies and techniques in their estate plan though, you need to know why avoiding probate is so desirable.  The simple … [Read more...] about How Long Is the Probate Process?

You have likely heard people talking about how important it is to try and avoid probate when possible; however, unless you have a firm understanding of the probate process itself you may not understand why it is so important to avoid probate. The simple explanation for why avoiding probate is such a common estate planning goal is that probate costs your loved ones both time and money. As a general rule, the longer the probate of an estate takes, the more the estate assets are diminished as a … [Read more...] about Why Avoiding Probate Is Important