In case the subject of probate is new to you, here is the basic framework. The court distributes some assets and property, and this process of posthumous distribution is called probate. Other assets go directly to the beneficiaries of an estate, without any involvement from...
Let’s present a hypothetical that may or may not be reality: let’s say you know you have advancing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, and you want to change your legal plans to reflect this fact. For your own peace of mind, you want to set everything...
If you know anyone paying or receiving child support, or working with a child custody lawyer, this information may be important to share: House Bill 366 took effect in March of 2019, and these are the first changes we have seen in Ohio’s child support...
The federal tax laws changed in December 2017. President Trump and the Republican-led Congress raised the federal estate tax exemption dramatically. In 2001, that federal estate tax exemption had been $675,000. Now it is at $11,180,000 for individuals, or $22,360,000 for married couples. (These exemption...
Estate planning is such an utterly crucial part of getting older. If you try to sail those seas on your own, though, the waters can be fraught with peril. A top rated estate planning attorney can keep from making some of these mistakes. Here are...
Many people do not realize they need to take specific steps to transfer their assets after their death. People often believe that a simple will can do the job. However, wills are just legal documents that express the maker’s wishes about who inherits their assets....
Child custody issues are likely to be the most emotionally difficult matters involved in a divorce. They will also be one of the most difficult legal processes in a divorce. The divorce courts take seriously their responsibility for the welfare of minor children. A divorce...
A living trust is an estate planning tool that allows the grantor, or the maker of the trust, to authorize a trustee to administer the estate’s assets without going through the costly and time consuming probate process. A trust preserves the privacy of the trust;...
A probate lawyer navigates the probate legal process for the administration of wills or to have an administrator of the estate approved when a will has not been prepared. Probate takes place upon the death of a person who leaves assets. Ohio has a small...
While there are online tools that can give you ideas for drafting your own estate plans, we recommend you work with a professional. And, before you say, “of course you recommend that, because you ARE an estate planning professional” — which is true — here...
