When you leave behind a will, your heirs may require the assistance of the probate court to take ownership of your assets. As reported by SmartAsset.com, South Carolina estates with a value of at least $25,000 must settle through the probate process. If your estate’s...
Can sibling disputes elevate to litigation?
When siblings have a fraught history, it often comes to light and ends up aggravated at the most inopportune of times. This can include during the probate of a parent's estate. How exactly do these disputes between siblings end up escalating to the point of...
Planning to avoid estate taxes
As one engages in the estate planning process in earnest, they quickly notice that several liabilities may face their estates. Plans exist that can help one avoid some of them (such as working to avoid probate or settling debts before their deaths). Yet most likely...
Special needs trusts and Medicaid
If you have a loved one with special needs, you may need to take various issues into consideration when it comes to their well-being, whether you currently help them with daily tasks or you worry about their future. Setting up a special needs trust is one way that you...
What are the advantages of a living trust?
Whether organizing your estate for the first time or revising the plans you have already made, you may feel overwhelmed with the number of available options. Not only are there several ways you can organize your property and assets, but there are also options that can...
What do you know about living wills and advance directives?
As you find out more about estate planning, you learn about end-of-life planning. How do you protect your wishes when you cannot voice them? Mayo Clinic breaks down living wills and advanced directives. With the right estate planning tools, you give yourself and your...
What is a funeral preneed contract?
When you get to your estate planning, your thoughts might first settle on deciding what of your estate goes to which loved one. Other potential avenues of planning include guardianship and powers of attorney for your last years if you end up impaired. One factor of...
Is a will or an estate plan right for you?
If you pass away without a will in South Carolina, the court steps in and freezes your assets before ensuring the notification of all relevant parties of your death. Your entire estate, such as bank accounts, home, vehicle and other property, must go through probate,...
What topics do you typically find in advance directives?
Thinking about the end of your life may give you a lingering sense of fear. However, learning more about the types of advance directives can help put you at ease. These legal documents ensure that you get the choice of what medical decision you want in case of a...
When is an unequal will just?
One of the “basic rules” of estate planning is to divide the estate as evenly as possible among beneficiaries, particularly if the beneficiaries are adult kids. After all, it is very easy for hard feelings to appear after the death of a loved one, particularly if one...