| Healthcare Power of Attorney Formalities |
| |
| There are a few technical requirements with which you must comply before a healthcare power of attorney will be considered legally valid and binding. More... |
| |
| Living Wills -- Formation |
| |
| Doctors have a general duty to preserve life through whatever means are available. The only way for patients to override a doctor's general duty is to leave written instructions for their preferred medical care in case they become incapable of expressing those wishes. If you are worried about the types of medical treatment you may receive at the end of your life, you should compose a living will. A living will, also referred to as a healthcare directive, is not a part of the will that a person uses to pass property at death. It is a separate document that lets your loved ones know what type of care you do or do not want to receive should you become terminally ill or permanently unconscious/in a vegetative state. More... |
| |
| Executors -- Federal Tax Issues |
| |
| Federal gift and estate tax law permits each taxpayer to transfer a certain amount of assets free from tax during his or her lifetime or at death. (In addition, as discussed in the next section, certain gifts valued at $10,000 or less can be made that are not counted against this amount.) The amount of money that can be shielded from federal estate or gift taxes is determined by the federal unified tax credit. The credit is used during your lifetime when you make certain taxable gifts, and the balance, if any, can be used by your estate after your death. More... |
| |
| Distribution Provisions |
| |
| A very common and valuable provision seen in most family trusts and invariably in dynasty trusts is the spray or sprinkle provision. Where there is more than one beneficiary, this provision allows the trustee to distribute (spray) the income and/or principal among the beneficiaries in varying proportions as the trustee feels appropriate, having in mind their individual needs and circumstances from time to time. In other words, the trustee need not make equal distributions among the beneficiaries, but instead can vary the distributions according to their particular needs, which undoubtedly is exactly what the grantors would do were they alive.More... |
| |
| Will Contests -- Lack of Testamentary Capacity, Improper Execution, Bogus Will |
| |
| You cannot contest a will simply because you don't like the provisions, or because you received less than you felt you should have received, or because the provisions were, in your opinion, unfair. You must have legal grounds, which, if supported by the evidence, would cause the will to be rejected by the Probate Court. More... |
| |
322 McDaniel Street 
