Illness or injury may strike unexpectedly and leave people unable to speak or care for themselves. Should the need arise to make medical decisions on their behalf, their loved ones may struggle with what choices to make or worse, disagree. Naming a health care proxy...
Year: 2020
Strategies to avoid Ohio probate
Probate can be expensive and time-consuming for your descendants. With careful planning, however, you can potentially avoid probate, allowing your executor to independently administer your estate. Review common strategies for probate avoidance in Ohio. Establish a...
Why should you talk to your family about your will?
Ohio residents like you may not want to discuss your estate plan in detail. You may think that talking it out makes it feel too real. This can be a deeply discomforting experience for you and your loved ones. But you need to talk about your will with your family at...
Why should you update your estate plan after a divorce?
Ohio residents like you put time and effort into building up your estate. The estate plan is of equal importance and it makes sense that you prioritize it, too. After all, your estate plan determines how your estate gets handled after your death. Because of that, you...
The human side of estate planning
There is a saying that even the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. In our experience, the estate plans that go awry often do so because of a disregard for the human side of the process. On one hand, you have your trusts, wills, powers of attorney,...
Should I put my adult child on my deed?
One of the main reasons people go through the estate planning process is to help their heirs avoid probate. There are many reasons to avoid probate, since probate is expensive and very time-consuming. Some Americans consider putting their child on the deed to their...
5 tips for storing your estate planning documents
A comprehensive estate plan is good for you and your heirs. While your plan may include other items, four documents are a good place to start. After completing your plan, you must find the right place to store the documents. Even though many places may work, the...
Limiting (or avoiding) one’s estate tax liability
One of the main goals of estate planning in Ohio should be to take advantage of those strategies that will help one to minimize the liabilities against their estate. That way they preserve as many of their personal assets as possible to pass on to their...
Compliance with the Open Meetings Act
Along with the Public Records Act, the Open Meetings Act is one of Ohio's two "sunshine laws." The purpose of the Open Meetings Act is to encourage openness in the government's activities and general conduct by allowing public access to meetings when conducting...
Who is the right fit to serve as estate executor?
Ohio residents like you spend a lot of time working on estate management. Building up an estate plan takes a lot of time, effort and flexibility. However, you must start with a strong foundation. Otherwise, your plan will not last or remain stable. To this end, you...