Probate and Estate Disputes

The executor of an estate has specific fiduciary responsibilities. It's an Ohio personal representative's legal obligation to act in the best interest of the deceased and carry out their instructions and wishes to the best of their abilities. A fiduciary has two...

No one wants their will to be contested in court in a heated showdown after they're gone. Heirs file lawsuits in court contesting wills most every day, however. Wills may become contested for many reasons. An heir may allege that the testator has a more recent will or...

A trust owner's goal when selecting a trustee is to find someone that will handle distributions of assets per their preferences. Unfortunately, things don't always go according to plan. It may become necessary to remove a trustee before or after your death. There are...

You can probably find dozens of reasons to postpone creating an estate plan. However, no matter how unpleasant you may find the prospect of contemplating a time when you'll no longer be around, an estate plan can make things easier on your loved ones when that time...

When a loved one passes away, there are many things that those who are left behind have to do. Not only are there funeral or memorial plans to make, you also have to deal with the person's estate. This will involve going through the probate process for many people....

If you and your spouse are pondering how you're going to develop your estate plan ahead of retaining an attorney, you may picture your assets being handed down in a fairly linear fashion. When one of you dies, the other one gets everything. When they die, your...

If a loved one has passed away, you're likely dealing with a host of responsibilities involving their estate -- particularly if you're the executor. You're handling all of this while you're still in the grieving process. It's understandable if you're not thinking...

As the cost of higher education increases, so does the amount of student loan debt held by Americans. Some people are paying off their student loans even after they've retired. Others are still paying off loans they've taken out for their children. As you're doing...

When people with considerable assets and complicated families pass away without an estate plan in place, loved ones and others often engage in expensive, lengthy, contentious legal battles. That's probably not what the deceased person would have wanted. Unfortunately,...

Many people don't begin to think about estate planning until they're nearing -- or already in -- retirement. However, younger adults are starting to see the advantages of at least beginning to build an estate plan. According to a survey by Caring.com, about a third of...