Estate Planning

For many testators in Minnesota, avoiding probate court is one of their primary planning goals. After all, when estates must pass through probate court, the cost of estate administration increases substantially. Probate proceedings can take months to complete, which...

If you have a disabled adult child with special needs who is on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid, estate planning can be complicated. You may already know that you can include them in your estate plans and provide for their future – without interfering...

When your children are finally adults and they move out of your family home, you may tell yourself that you no longer have to have difficult parenting discussions with them. Unfortunately, there could still be some difficult parent-child conversations that you will...

There is a popular saying that familiarity breeds contempt, and that is certainly the case for some families. People take their family relationships for granted and even take advantage of one another. Often, family members assume that others will just forgive their...

When someone dies, their estate may need to pass through probate court before their loved ones and other beneficiaries can receive any assets from the estate. Testators in Minnesota create comprehensive estate plans with the specific intention of avoiding probate...

There’s nothing like a serious medical diagnosis to make someone reevaluate their wills. In fact, that’s the sort of event that often prompts people to realize that their current estate plans are sadly out of date. But, what if that recent medical diagnosis was some...

When setting up a health care power of attorney, you choose an agent. This agent doesn't have to do anything at the time, other than agree to the position. But if you become incapacitated, then they take over making medical decisions on your behalf. You can see why...

As you get older and work on your estate plan, one of the things you may want to set up is a trust. A trust can come in one of many forms, so the exact way it works will depend on the kind you select. Still, there are some things that trusts have in common. To start...

When you first get married, you may feel like you will be young and in love forever. Even after the honeymoon phase ends, you and your new spouse will likely derive a lot of joy from your newly-solemnized relationship. You may not want to diminish your happiness by...

The personal representative of an estate, what some people call an executor, has to handle all of the requirements of probate administration. They have to review the estate plan and file taxes. They have to distribute property to beneficiaries and possibly attend...