Trusts and Estates
| Inheritance Without Planning Means No Changing the Default Plan |
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| When a person dies intestate (without making and leaving a will), each state provides a default plan (usually known as the statute of descent and distribution) under which his or her net estate is disposed. When a person dies intestate, there is no changing the default plan. The default plan's sequences for determining who inherits and how much can not be changed. This article discusses the disadvantages of descent and distribution related to that inability to change who inherits and how much. More... |
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| Transfer on Death Registration of Securities |
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| TOD or transfer on death registration of securities allows an investor to arrange for transfer of securities upon the investor's death without the necessity of having the securities go through probate. The executor or administrator of an estate does not have to take any action regarding specific securities that have TOD registration or even entire accounts that have been set up with TOD instructions. More... |
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| Donating One's Body to Science |
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| A dead human body is usually disposed of by burial or cremation. One alternative that benefits people outside of the funeral industry is to donate one's dead body to science. Donation to science (also know as donation to medical science) is turning over a dead body to doctors, medical students, and/or other scientists for use in their studies. The charitable goal is the advancement of science. More... |
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| Trust Elements - Trustee |
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| A trust has five main elements. First, a settlor transfers some or all of his or her property. Second, the property transferred by the settlor is designated trust property. Third, the trust property designated by the settlor is transferred with the settlor's intent that it be managed by another. Fourth, the trust property designated by the settlor is transferred for management by a trustee. Fifth, the trust property designated by the settlor is managed by a trustee for the benefit of a beneficiary. This More... |
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| Co-Ownership Myths - I |
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| One of the most confusing aspects of estate planning is the numerous myths about co-ownership of property. Many people do not understand the differences between a tenancy in common and a joint tenancy with right of survivorship. Many people do not understand what a tenancy by the entirety is or was. Many people do not understand the differences between the common law forms of co-ownership and community property. Moreover, people may define their own forms of co-ownership by contract. This article discusses some of the many myths about the co-ownership of property. More... |
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