Trusts and Estates
| Co-Ownership Myths - III |
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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. More... |
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| Precatory Language, Ademption, and Abatement |
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| One of the main purposes for making and leaving a will is to guide the administration of the estate of the testator--the person who made the will. A will should be written in language that is clear and indisputable. Alas, the language in a will may be unclear or vague. This article discusses the will interpretation and construction issues of precatory language, ademption, and abatement. More... |
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| 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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| 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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| Basic Vocabulary and Execution |
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| A will is a legal document that explains where a person wants or does not want his property to go after his death. A will becomes effective upon death and until then, it can be revoked or amended. If a person dies without a will, a court will determine where his property goes according to state law.
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