Probate & Estate Planning

Your father died before he got around to developing an estate plan. You weren’t that concerned about your inheritance because you knew that as his only child, you stood to inherit everything since he and your mother divorced years ago and she never remarried. Now...

If you're like most people, you probably don't spend much time thinking about your death. But the truth is, everyone should have an estate plan in place.  Why is an estate plan so important, and what should you include in yours? What is an estate plan? An estate plan...

Ideally, you will always be able to make your own medical decisions. It is your right to do so. However, the reality for a lot of people is that this becomes difficult or even impossible near the end of their life. If you suffer from something like a stroke or...

Creating an estate plan that works for you can be extremely beneficial. Not only will you have peace of mind that your final wishes will be honored, but your family will also be offered a sense of stability. A final will and testament typically plays a key role in a...

You haven’t spoken for years with one of your adult children. Maybe they made a series of bad decisions you couldn’t condone. Perhaps you just never got along, and they cut ties when they were old enough. The reasons for parent-child estrangement are endless. Before...

Having an estate plan gives you peace of mind knowing that you have taken the necessary steps to protect your future, assets, and family. However, as time goes by and circumstances change, keeping your estate plan up to date is equally as important. If your estate...

When you die, the probate courts have the responsibility to oversee the distribution of your property either to your closest family members or to the beneficiaries you name and your estate plan. Trying to bypass probate court requires advance planning. There are...

When it comes to estate planning, misinformation abounds. Everyone seems to have heard a story about an estate plan gone wrong, but few people actually know the Rhode Island law. For example, you may have heard that if you die without a will, the state takes your...

Estate planning sounds like a process that only focuses on your death. While handling the details of what will happen when you die is a big part of estate planning, there is more to the process. A comprehensive estate plan will typically also include documents that...

In theory, no one should ever have any say in an estate plan but the person who is making the plan. Perhaps the one exception is when a married couple is planning together, but, even then, it is that couple that should be allowed to make the plan based on their...