Estate Planning

A will provides instructions on how your assets should be distributed upon your death. Trusts manage assets according to your wishes. You can also utilize powers of attorney to meet your medical and financial needs.  Estate planning is an important process that all...

Much of the estate planning process centers around distributing assets on a person’s death. However, one important aspect that can be overlooked is choosing a guardian for one's minor children. A guardian can be nominated by including a clause in your will. The person...

Managing an estate competently and keeping interested parties adequately informed can be complicated. Thus, if you are appointed an executor of an estate, you need to be prepared. Here is how you can do this: Before probate Before you assume your duties, you need to...

One way to leave an inheritance to someone is to list it in your will. As soon as you pass away, your estate goes through probate. The estate executor should inventory the assets and then give those financial assets directly to the person that you named. But this can...

When parents have an adult child with profound disabilities, they often seek to protect that child’s future as much as they can by pouring their estate into a special needs trust for that child’s benefit.  Special needs trusts are specifically designed not to...

Different people can have very different opinions about what happens to someone when they die. For example, parents or children of the deceased may have a different opinion from the deceased’s new partner. You might wonder if you can preempt things by using your...

Creating an estate plan is an important step in ensuring that your assets are distributed according to your wishes after your passing. There are several common mistakes that individuals make when establishing and maintaining their estate plans. By being aware of these...

Part of the estate planning process is making regular updates during the testator’s life. This is often a forgotten part of estate planning that can lead to probate delays and challenges.  Here’s what you should know about updating your estate plan: 5 reasons to...

Digital estate planning is an increasingly important process that involves organizing and making arrangements for the management and disposal of one's digital assets in the event of incapacitation or death.  As more American adults interact with the world in a variety...

A will is one of the most basic estate planning documents that all individuals need to draft. Unlike some states, Tennessee law recognizes handwritten, or holographic, wills that were written by the individual (testator), even with unwitnessed signatures.  But to get...