Estate planning document

What Differentiates a Will From a Living Trust?

If something unexpected happened tomorrow, would your loved ones know how to manage your estate or access your assets? That’s a question many people don’t ask until it’s too late. Both wills and living trusts can ensure your wishes are honored, but they work in very different ways. The biggest distinctions come down to timing,…

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Should I Handwrite My Will?

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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attorney reviewing will

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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Couple estate planning with attorney

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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Estate planning document

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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