Revocable Living Trusts are flexible estate planning tools. They can, among other things, avoid probate and streamline estate administration after a death. They can also assist during a Trustor’s lifetime by avoiding the potential need for a guardianship. These benefits are well known. However, what is sometimes overlooked is that a Trust is not the same as a Will. A Will is drafted and signed with no additional work needed other than a periodic review to make sure it’s terms…
You’ve heard the saying “You get what you pay for” – usually about the time that you have discovered that the great deal you snagged did not really save you anything because what you purchased did not live up to your expectations. And now you have to spend more money to fix it or replace it. This saying can, all too often, hold true for your ESTATE PLANNING as well. Sometimes the least costly solution is simply not the best…
Watch the video featuring Platt & Westby Attorney, Andrew Rahtz, as he talks about consumer fraud in real estate.
Watch the video featuring Platt & Westby attorney, Elizabeth Westby, as she talks about the process of planning for a divorce.
Watch the video below as Platt & Westby attorney, Kevin Falvey, discusses Partition Action. The law offers something called a partition action, which can be brought to divide the property into individual shares among the owners, allowing you to move forward with your share independently. A partition, or division, of property can be arranged on a voluntary basis if all owners agree to it.
Probate is the judicial procedure by which a decedent’s estate is handled through the appointment of a Personal Representative (some states use the term “Executor”). As mentioned on our Probate page, a probate is not always required to handle a decedent’s affairs. Many times, the decedent will not leave behind the kinds of property requiring a Probate, or perhaps the decedent utilized a Trust or other estate planning tool that make a Probate unnecessary. However, should you find yourself in…
To give a little background information, a deed is the document you use to officially transfer ownership of real property from one owner to another. There are three types of deeds that are typically used: warranty deeds, special warranty deeds, and quit claim deeds. A warranty deed, sometimes referred to as a general warranty deed, transfers ownership of real property with warranties to the Grantee. This means that the Grantor (the person selling or giving the property to someone else)…
Undue influence occurs when a dominant person, for personal gain, substitutes their will for the will of a dependent and vulnerable person. Money is usually the motive behind this type of abuse. And most commonly this type of abuse occurs with the elderly and disabled. This is because the elderly and disabled are often more dependent upon others for daily care and become susceptible and vulnerable. The relationship is more than just persuasion, it is a psychological control and the…
Platt & Westby Attorney, Peter Westby, discusses Prenuptial Agreements and how they can be most effective. Learn what’s most important when obtaining a prenuptial agreement.
A Living Will is different from a normal Will. A Will is a common estate planning document that controls the distribution of a person’s property after he or she dies. It is not effective until death. A living will, however, is effective during a person’s lifetime and serves a wholly different purpose. Also known as an “advance directive” a living will allows a person, in advance, to give written instructions for medical treatment should he or she become terminally ill…
Reasonable Fees
