A Minnesota Estate Planning Lawyer Explains Why You Should NOT Handwrite Your Will We’ve all heard the stories. A dying person writes out a will on a car bumper. Is such a will valid in Minnesota? Generally, a handwritten will – called holographic – is not valid here. What is a Valid Will? Under Minnesota…
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What You Need to Know Before Drafting Your Will
If you have decided it is time to make an estate plan, a big congratulations are in order as you have taken an important step in protecting a future you want for yourself and your loved ones. There really is no better time than the present to put a comprehensive estate plan in place and…
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What Happens If I Die Without a Will?
A will is a valuable legal tool. It is most known for its ability to provide directions as to how a person’s assets should be distributed upon his or her death, but it can be much more. In a will, you can name who you want to act as personal representative of your estate, a…
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How to Challenge the Legal Validity of a Will
After the death of a loved one, emotions can run high. When you add in the expectations people may have for an inheritance, things can become quickly heated. You discover the decedent changed his will a few days prior to death. The new will conflicts with what the decedent told you. Due to the suspiciousness…
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What Is the Difference Between a Living Will and a Will?
If you looked into estate planning, as everyone should, you may have become quickly confused with the legal rhetoric of it all. Will, living will, trusts, health care surrogate, advance directives—it can all start blending. Today, we will help unravel some of these critical legal tools that play a central role in estate planning. In…
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Do I Need a Living Will?
While wills seem to get the bulk of the attention when people talk about establishing an estate plan, living wills are also a critical component of a strong estate plan. A living will is very different from a will, which is primarily used to designate how assets should be distributed upon a person’s death. A…
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What Should You Include in a Living Will?
Living wills and other advance health care directives provide instructions regarding your medical treatment preference should you be incapacitated and unable to communicate your wishes for yourself. These critical legal documents are not just for the elderly. They are not just for the infirm. They are for everyone because life happens. The unexpected happens. Accidents…
Continue reading…Grounds for Contesting a Will
A will is a legal instrument utilized to, among other things, establish the terms of distributing the assets of a decedent’s estate to his or her heirs. In some instances, an heir or beneficiary may be upset with the terms of the will or may think the will does not accurately reflect the true wishes…
Continue reading…Is a Pour-Over Will Right for You?
Estate planning can be complicated. One of the biggest reasons it can be so difficult is that there is so much at stake: your legacy, your assets, and the well-being of your heirs. Another reason is that the terminology is often very confusing. If you are not an estate planning attorney, you likely do not…
Continue reading…When Heirs Cry: The Impact of Prince Dying Without a Will
Q: Do I need a will? Minnesota’s unique estate law headline case of recent years –if not of all time –involves the administration of the estate of the late artist, Prince. For many, Prince was a living legend in the music industry. However, after his untimely death in 2016 from an accidental overdose of painkillers,…
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