Darling & Wilson, PC Legal Blog
What is a medical power of attorney?
When you’re creating an estate plan, you have to make decisions that go beyond who will receive what assets as their inheritance. Some of these have to do with making sure you’ll be taken care of if you aren’t able to make decisions on your own. If you become...
2 things to know regarding your executor
When estate planning, you need to choose an executor to manage your estate before distribution. They are required to follow all the instructions in your will, manage your properties, pay debts, file tax returns, communicate with beneficiaries and interested parties...
2 reasons not to procrastinate estate planning
Did you know that the average person in the United States does not have an estate plan? Reports consistently find that the majority of people haven’t taken this critical step. They have not written a will, drafted a power of attorney, or addressed other important...
What to know about the advance health directive form in California
One of the documents to draft when estate planning is an advance health directive form. This document allows you to provide health care instructions to be observed if you become incapacitated. This way, your family won't need to spend time figuring out what you would...
4 tips to protect yourself from living trust scams
Planning your estate is an important step that helps ensure the proper distribution of your assets according to your wishes. This includes creating trusts, such as living trusts, which can provide financial security and avoid probate for your loved ones. However,...
2 reasons a partnership should address ownership percentages
When drafting a partnership agreement before starting a business, one critical detail to include is each partner’s ownership percentage. While some assume the split will be 50/50, relying on assumptions or informal agreements – such as a handshake deal – can lead to...
Can you still make decisions after drafting a power of attorney?
If you recently received a serious medical diagnosis, you may be reevaluating your estate planning. Perhaps you’re considering using a medical power of attorney. In case of an emergency or if things take a turn for the worse, you want to choose an agent who can help...
3 types of trusts to add to your estate plan today
Many Americans have a will, which allows them to instruct how their estate should be managed after they pass away – including naming beneficiaries to inherit the deceased’s assets. Before a beneficiary receives any inheritance, they may need to wait for the probate...
What are the problems with dying intestate?
Many people who pass away have an estate plan in place. At the very least, they have written a will that specifies how they want to split up their major assets. They may also have detailed information about minor assets and family heirlooms. They could have drafted a...
Death and identity theft: What to tell your heirs
Identity theft – which often involves someone trying to steal your identifying information and using it to open credit cards, obtain loans and more in your name – is a big problem these days. Believe it or not, you can’t even stop worrying about identity theft once...