| Making Final Arrangements -- Ceremonies |
| |
| When formulating your estate plan, you should contemplate body disposal and ceremonies. Writing out a statement of your preferences will likely save money and save your loved ones from additional heartache. Typically, at least one ceremony occurs when a person dies. Sometimes several ceremonies are held, either before or after burial or cremation. Most loved ones are likely to be comforted by attending a ceremony that reflects the wishes and personality of the deceased person.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... |
| |
| Special Conditions in a Will |
| |
| As a general rule, a devise, a bequest, a legacy, or a trust in a will may benefit any person or legal entity. One major limitation is that is that a devise, a bequest, a legacy, or a trust in a will may not benefit a person or legal entity, if it does not meet a condition imposed by the testator. Most conditions are routine, such as rewarding a child with more money if he or she attends college. Some conditions are more unusual, and so, special.More... |
| |
| Beneficiaries -- Issues in Choosing Professional Advisers |
| |
| A beneficiary should ask himself whether he wants to (or can) tend to the estate himself or whether he would rather delegate the responsibility to someone else. The larger the inheritance, the more likely a beneficiary will need professional advice. A six-figure inheritance or greater will probably change many things in a beneficiary's life and he will need good advice for these changes. More... |
| |
| Trust Apportionment |
| |
| When a trustee receives a distribution, it can be difficult to determine whether he should pay it to the beneficiary or add it to the "corpus" (the trust property). More... |
| |
