Blog
How Much Does Probate Cost?
For many people, cost is one of the biggest downsides of the probate process. The big question for people planning their estates is, exactly how much does probate cost your estate, or how much will probate cost your personal representative? The answer may determine...
Who Chooses Legal Guardianship of a Minor?
It is critical to appoint a guardian for your minor child. A minor’s guardian is a person who is appointed by a child’s parents to care for that child in the event of their death or incapacity. If it becomes necessary, this person is given all the legal rights of a...
What is the Difference Between a Guardian and a Conservator?
When an adult permanently loses or does not have the ability to care for themselves, there are two legal provisions available that can grant others the right to care for them. These are the roles of guardian and conservator. You may have heard these terms before, but...
How Does the Virginia Small Estate Affidavit Work?
If someone dies and their combined assets qualify as a small estate, an heir can use the Virginia Small Estate Affidavit to administer the estate (administering someone’s estate means distributing their assets as they directed through their estate plan, or...
How to Know Which Nonprofit Organizations to Donate to at Your Death
If you are considering leaving some of your assets to a non-profit organization when you pass, we commend you. Planned giving is an incredible way to leave a legacy and make an impact in the world, and we wish more people would make it a part of their estate plan....
How To Leave Money to a Charity in Your Estate Plan
Planning how you will leave money to a charity in your estate plan is what we call “planned giving.” It is a powerful way to leave your legacy and speak about what was important to you, and we encourage each of our clients to consider this legal tool as they think...
4 Planned Giving Benefits to Consider While Estate Planning
Most people spend a good deal of time considering how to leave money to family members when they are planning their estate, but have you ever considered planned giving? “Planned giving” is just a term for giving to an organization or cause you support in a thoughtful,...
6 Ways to Minimize the Effects of Coming Changes to Tax Laws
There has been a lot of talk about the new administration bringing changes to tax laws. And while we don’t know when they will happen or to what extent the laws will change, we do know that these changes are likely a matter of “when,” not “if.” [Related: How 2021 Tax...
3 Reasons AMDs are Crucial for Dementia Care Planning
If you or someone you love has dementia, or if you want to plan for that possibility, we encourage you to think ahead about dementia care planning. An enormous piece of dementia care planning is creating an advance medical directive (AMD). AMDs are crucial for three...
