Probably one of the most famous celebrity probate cases is that of Anna Nicole Smith and the death of her husband, billionaire J Howard Marshall. Smith and Marshall married when she was 27 and he was 89. This age difference caused many to believe Smith married Marshall only for the financial gain she would have […]
Widerman Malek Law Blog
No Will: What Happens to Probate Assets?
I am not sure why someone would not have a will in today’s day and age, but it happens more often than you might think. Why would you want your family members fighting over your assets after your death? Wouldn’t you rather everything went to the person that you wanted it to go to? A […]
Achieve Peace Knowing Your Finances are in Order
Throughout each day there are thousands of people who pass away all over the world. Each of these deaths are devastating to the family and loved ones. They can never be replaced and no amount of monetary value will even come close to replacing them. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is tragic […]
What is Summary Administration?
Probate is no fun – right? Who wants to deal with the courts when you are trying to get your hands on the assets you are entitled to when someone passes? Wait, aren’t you supposed to be mourning that person’s death and not worrying about how much money you are going to get? In a […]
What is a Probate court?
The definition of the Probate Court is: a court that is specialized to determine the distribution of a deceased person’s estate. That’s the gist of it. A Probate judge can determine who legally gets what; kind of like a family referee. After reading about family squabbles over estate divisions, it’s easy to see why the […]
Why do I need a will?
A will has three main purposes. 1) Establish a plan for distribution upon your death To document your wishes for how you would like your assets distributed upon your death. The simplest and most common distribution is what we commonly refer to as an “I Love You Will”. I give everything to my spouse and […]
Three Common Types of Trusts
Planning for the future includes planning for the entire future. Before a person passes away, they must plan or decide where their assets will go. Many people will plan for family members to inherit their assets. Instead of worrying about those loved ones having to pay taxes on their inheritance, a trust can be set […]
Executors, Who Can Be One and What Do They Do?
When you create a living will, last will and testament, or any type of will that involves assigning assets or specifics to family members, it can become difficult to elect an individual to carry out the instructions of your will. It can become a great honor to be named someone’s executor, but it can also […]
Create a Trust to Keep Your Family Home Out of Probate
When a person dies, their estate goes through a process called Probate. This probate process is held through the courts and administers the entire estate. Everything that person owned is assessed. The taxes that were due or unpaid are taking care of and the assets owned will be distributed among the individuals identified in the […]
