Our Blog - Surety Matters

Before reggae legend Bunny Wailer, aka Neville O’Riley Livingston, died earlier this year at the age of 73, he had made a will and appointed co-executors. In the will, he named each of his thirteen…
Read Moreabout Bunny Wailer: Estate Conflict?

What happens when you add procrastination and misinformation together? For many of us, the combination equals failure to make an estate plan—and loved ones in disarray when we die. Estate planning experts have lots of…
Read Moreabout Get The Facts: Estate Planning?

  With more and more of our lives taking place in the digital realm, our valuables are no longer limited to just those we can touch. Digital assets now require explicit attention during estate planning….
Read Moreabout Appoint a Digital Executor?

Although wills can be contested, litigators encourage careful thought before doing so. Will contests take time and money—and can cause lasting damage in family and friend relations. Lawyers advise on the importance of being honest…
Read Moreabout Contesting a Will? Be Honest!

Estate plans are “living documents”—meant to be updated as our lives change. Maybe children or grandchildren have come into the picture? Perhaps you or a loved one are declining incapacity? Trusts, arranged to distribute funds…
Read Moreabout Trusts: Distributions Over Time?

  Simply stated, inheritance litigation occurs when there is conflict over how the assets of someone who dies are distributed. Legal experts offer examples as well as some common reasons for litigation—and how to avoid…
Read Moreabout Understanding Inheritance Litigation

Probate: True or False? There tends to be a lot of confusion about what happens during the probate process. Simply put, probate makes our affairs public when we die, with the court supervising the distribution of…
Read Moreabout Probate: True or False?

Legal experts address the fears that hold many families back from putting estate plans in place, providing encouragement and information to help jump-start the effort. Remember, almost everyone has an estate and thoughtful planning, even…
Read Moreabout Estate Planning: Proceed!

  Yes! When a trust is created, the trustor (or grantor) names a trustee to administer the assets in accordance with their wishes. Trustees are fiduciaries—held to the highest duty of care in executing their…
Read Moreabout Are Trustees Fiduciaries?