Our Blog - Surety Matters

  For many people, pets are beloved companions, but in the eyes of the law, cats, dogs, and other feathered, scaly or furry friends, are, in fact, just like jewelry and clothing: personal property. Read…
Read Moreabout Estate Law and Pets?

Given the relative ease of set-up and their flexibility, revocable trusts are a popular and convenient estate planning tool. Despite the scarier name and implications, however, irrevocable trusts can also turn out to be useful,…
Read Moreabout Irrevocable Trust: Pros and Cons

One of the most important aspects of estate planning is the designation of fiduciaries: the people entrusted to manage our affairs, in accordance with our intentions. Because life takes twists and turns, attorneys advise naming…
Read Moreabout Back Up Plan: Fiduciaries!

Courts frequently require the person appointed to handle the affairs of the deceased to obtain a probate bond, which acts as a guarantee that debts and assets will be properly handled in accordance with state…
Read Moreabout Probate Bonds Explained

When a will is created, an in terrorem clause, also referred to as a no-contest clause, can be included to prevent disputes about the provisions made in the will. Because disputes can drain time and…
Read Moreabout In Terrorem Clause?

The process of probate is somewhat like a funnel: upon death, assets pass through, so that decisions about where they end up are formalized, publicly and on the record. However, if beneficiaries have been named…
Read Moreabout Probate Vs NonProbate Assets?

Good news still happens, and sometimes in very unexpected ways, as folks in Hinsdale, New Hampshire learned, upon the death of Geoffrey Holt, a long time resident, who lived in a mobile home park. When…
Read Moreabout Heartwarming Estate Plan

Winter, along with festivities, offers families time for quiet togetherness, which can be well used to make or update estate plans and communicate about them too. Though doing so may feel difficult, having the basics…
Read Moreabout Estate Planning: Tis The Season

Two real life stories underscore the importance of making plans for our assets before it’s too late. If we are lucky to have more money than we can spend in our lifetimes, our generosity can…
Read Moreabout Feeling Thankful–and Lucky?