If you think you are “too young” or “too poor” to have a will, you may wish to revise your thinking. Why? Because if you die in Virginia without a will, the state, not you, will determine who inherits from you and in what proportions. The Virginia State Bar counsels...
Simple Wills
When is a will valid in Virginia?
When you die, the court may not recognize your wishes if they do not appear in a valid will. Each state has different laws about what makes a person's will valid. As you begin the estate planning process, review the requirements for a legal will in Virginia, even if...
Can I edit my will after I validate it?
Your relationships, financial situation and other factors may change after creating a will in Virginia. Just because a certain inheritance or estate planning decision made sense at the time you created your will does not mean that you are stuck with it. Changing your...
What happens to an estate when the deceased has no will?
From providing for the care of minor children to ensuring that financial and physical property passes easily to chosen beneficiaries, even a simple will can be a powerful legal safeguard. Unfortunately, almost half of Americans over age 55 have not created a will....
Are you storing your will in the best place?
Finishing your will puts you far ahead of most. After all, more than half of Americans have not drafted even a simple estate plan. To store your new will appropriately, you need a place that is both accessible and secure. Individuals often choose to store estate...
Avoid will contests with transparent estate planning
As the Baby Boomer generation enters retirement age, many parents of large families find reasons to revisit their estate plans. These plans contain legal and financial information concerning assets, property, liabilities, insurance, and the division of the estate. The...
Reviewing Virginia’s intestate succession regulations
If you view the need to being the process of planning out the administration of your estate in Forest with a certain degree of trepidation, you certainly are not alone. Indeed, statistics show that more than half of American adults do not have a will. One of the...
Wills and young children
There are many different issues for people to consider with regard to creating an estate plan. For example, those who have young children often have a lot of questions and are unsure about various facets of the estate planning process. From identifying the right type...
Can you get away with a simple will?
You know you need to plan for the distribution of your assets and the care of your children should you unexpectedly pass but, if you are like many people, you put off the chore for various reasons. One such reason may be the fear that creating a will can be complex...
The benefits of implementing a will as part of an estate plan
Estate planning is an integral part of people's efforts to prepare for their future. Outside of feeling the satisfaction of being able to control one's assets, people who take initiative to plan their estate in Virginia may also provide their surviving family members...
