Terence E. Smolev and Christina Jonathan of Terence E. Smolev, P.C. write: Everything the practitioner does in the estate planning field should be based upon defensive actions for the benefit not only ...

This article explores essential estate-planning documents, including the key differences and similarities between a Last Will and Testament and ...

What is the benefit of having a trust versus a will? We own our home, have a rental property and we have no debt. My husband and I are retired and both have IRAs, over $500,000 in the stock market and ...

To state the obvious, the coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives. Part of that change is a heightened awareness of the fragility of life and the need to plan for the inevitability ...

DALLAS — Recently, we FINALLY got to the last item on our 'Death Checklist' by tackling wills. But wills needed two parts. So this is the final part of that final item. As you are making a will, be ...

I was talking to some friends the other day about wills and trusts. They seemed to have a variety of opinions, so can you straighten things out for me? I don’t have a will or a trust, and my financial ...

CHICAGO, IL – In a city where real estate ownership is common and probate court procedures are complex, understanding the ...

Dear Liz: I understand what happens with a living trust when both spouses die at once. But what happens when just one dies? Is the trust tossed out, since the surviving spouse is usually the trustee?

In Central New York, families planning for the future are increasingly turning to irrevocable trusts to secure their ...