Do I Need an Attorney to Settle an Estate at Death? MAYBE NOT IF… The family situation is uncomplicated (never divorced or re-married,  few beneficiaries who are competent adults) And… everyone gets along And… the assets of the estate are straightforward (accounts are consolidated, there are no tax-deferred assets to sort

Our clients often ask which records they should keep for what period of time. Some have every bill they ever paid. Some keep nothing. Most of us are somewhere in between, with documents spread in piles all around the house, on the coffee table, home office, safe and safety deposit

Many people think that Wills and Trusts are the same thing. Nothing could be further from the truth. While there are similarities, there are some very important differences.  A Will is a very basic document that simply expresses the wishes of the deceased to the Probate Court. It does not avoid

When you set up a financial account, such as a checking, savings or money market account, you can name a beneficiary for the account using a “Payable on Death”, also known as a POD, designation. The idea is that the bank will pay out the money left in your account

First, here’s a little background: for many years, Ohio law provided that a surviving spouse is entitled to transfer two automobiles in the name of the deceased spouse, without probate, as long as the total value was under $40,000. However, in 2017, Ohio modified this rule to allow the Surviving Spouse to transfer

If you attend a Webinar or schedule a free consultation, we will offer you a free copy of our booklet, “101 Questions about Estate Planning & Trusts”, that answers questions that our clients frequently ask. Here is an example: