If you feel like you need an estate plan but do not know where to start, you have a lot of company. According to CNBC, only about 33% of all Americans have an estate plan. Many people know the importance of an estate plan, but many put it off for various reasons....
Year: 2022
What is the Medicaid penalty period?
The purpose of Medicaid is to help low-income seniors pay for long-term care and medical care. For this reason, you may only qualify if you meet the stringent financial eligibility requirements. Because the income and asset limits are so low in most states, most...
The Estate Planning Process
What is an Executor? An Executor is the legal representative you nominate in your Will to represent your probate estate upon your death. After filing the Will in the Probate Court, the Court officially appoints the Executor. The Executor then gathers the assets that...
The Probate Process
How does the probate process begin? When an individual dies, the probate process may be started by any interested person (including creditors), although it is typically the person designated as Executor in the Will, a spouse or close relative of the decedent. What is...
Are executors liable when they mismanage an estate?
When someone you know names you the executor over his or her Ohio estate, you should expect to have to take on a number of important responsibilities on that individual’s behalf. Serving as an executor requires you to take certain steps, and failing to uphold your...
What issues should you expect with a probate home sale?
As an estate executor, you will have the responsibility of dispersing an estate to its heirs. Sometimes the fate of property, like a home, is not clear. The will may not name a beneficiary to receive the residence. It is possible that you will end up selling the...
Reasons to plan a funeral ahead of time
Thinking about anything related to death and dying is never enjoyable, whether it is to do with one's own passing or that of a close friend or family member. However, it is an inevitable process that most people will go through at one point or another. While families...
Ohio’s Open Meetings Act and compliance issues
Officials holding local or municipal board meetings must allow the public to attend and observe. Under the Open Meetings Act, Ohio residents may watch and listen to public officials during business or decision-making discussions. The Act applies to all individuals of...
What can a will accomplish that a trust cannot?
Imagine that you had a toolbox that contained a hammer and a screwdriver and someone asked you which tool was better. The question would be impossible to answer because each tool does something different. Estate planning documents such as wills and trusts are tools...
Should you pick a family member to manage your estate?
Managing an estate plan is a difficult task that requires a lot out of an executor. Because they will handle many personal and important matters to you, it is natural that you will want to lean toward a family member that you love and trust. However, this is not...