Probate

Question: My wife’s sister is trustee of their deceased dad’s estate which totals about $700,000. There are four equal sibling beneficiaries, including the trustee. The trustee is [...]

Traditionally, estates have been passed down by “per stirpes” descent. More recently, this system has been replaced by the “per capita by each generation” system. Only an [...]

Question: My grandmother left a trust and will when she passed. My father is in charge of the trust finances and real estate. The will states that he cannot sell the property in the trust, but he [...]

Question: If a property appraisal was never obtained when a parent died in 2013, how can we determine the cost basis when the four siblings who inherited the home sell it? Response: As you know, [...]

Everyone talks about probate and avoiding probate, but what is “probate?” And what is “probate property?” Probate is the judicial process through which property you own [...]

Question: I am the executor of my mother’s estate which calls for her assets to be divided between her five children. My mother’s property has been sold and all distributions will be [...]

Question: l am one of 14 heirs of my grandmother’s estate. My cousin made herself administrator, but has not done any of the duties that she is supposed to do. The attorney she hired that [...]

Question: Grandfather died leaving a life estate to grandmother providing that when she died it would be split half and half with between their two daughters.  One daughter died before [...]

Question: I am working on estate planning and have varying opinions on how to handle my property. I moved into an affordable 55+ co-op that is owned by a non-profit.  I own a share in the [...]

The effect of death on taxation of capital gains may be the only silver lining in the passing of a loved one. This is because of the “step-up” in basis that occurs at death. To [...]