Property obtained during a marriage is called marital property. This property can include anything from real property like homes and rental properties, to stock options, investment accounts, heirlooms, and employment income.
Some spouses want to share their property with each other. Continue reading
As an unmarried individual, you may feel overwhelmed when you think about who will step in and make decisions for you if you cannot make decisions for yourself and who will receive your money and property when you die. A married person often assumes a spouse would have authority to Continue reading
A loved one’s passing is felt by their entire surviving family. But when it comes to carrying out the decedent’s final wishes, not everyone has an equal say. Instead, in most cases, only one person—the executor, personal representative, or successor trustee—plays that key role. This Continue reading
“Basis” is a term used frequently in tax law. Black’s Law Dictionary defines basis as “the value assigned to a taxpayer’s investment in property and used primarily for computing gain or loss from a transfer of the property. When the assigned value represents the cost of acquiring Continue reading
The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult times in a person’s life. Nothing can truly prepare a person for such a loss. Having to deal with financial stress at such at a time can heighten the difficulty. Without proper planning, your significant other could face frozen Continue reading
After a loved one dies, their money and assets must be distributed to the right people, either according to their will or state law (found in the default distribution scheme in its “intestacy” statute). While most people want the settlement process to be done as soon as possible, Continue reading