1. Is it ethical to read a "found" copy of your parent's will before they have died? Published: October 09, 2009
2. When someone dies, what happens to their debts if there is no money in the estate to pay them and no heirs? Published: October 09, 2009
3. Where can I get a self-proving affidavit to attach to my will? I do not have a lawyer and am writing my own will. Published: October 09, 2009
4. Once the 18 months allowed for a probate has finished, can someone apply for an extension? Published: October 09, 2009
5. Who is appointed executor of an estate where there are three grown children and no will? Published: October 05, 2009
6. I recently inherited some land in trust. Where can I get information about Native American land transfer rules and BIA rules? Published: October 05, 2009
7. My biological father passed away without a will. I was adopted by his parents as a child but always kept a father-son relationship with my biological father. What rights do I have to his estate? Published: October 01, 2009
8. Can an executor read a will word for word? Do they get a copy of the will? Published: May 29, 2009
9. My husband and I have been married two years. If he were to die, would the home he had before our marriage go to me or his children? Published: May 29, 2009
10. What is a life estate? How is it used in estate planning? Published: May 28, 2009
11. Can an executor of a will manage the estate checking account? Published: May 27, 2009
12. My father died recently and left several credit cards with balances. Some are in his name only, and some are in his businesses' name. How should I let the credit card companies know there is no money to pay for the debts? Published: May 26, 2009
13. Does a durable power of attorney need to be notarized or witnessed? Published: May 19, 2009
14. I am a co-signer on my son's house. I'm a widow and getting older. If I become seriously ill or die, will the state go after his house, although he's the one who pays for it and I just co-signed? Published: March 30, 2009
15. How would I go about setting up an estate account for my deceased father? Published: March 30, 2009
16. If my mother were to use her assets from selling her home to buy my sister a house, could the state of Massachusetts penalize my mother if she were to need Medicaid within the next five years? Or would they go after my sister for the money? Published: January 14, 2009
17. How long should an executor of a will keep a deceased person's financial records? Published: January 14, 2009
18. If a will has been made, with inheritances specifically set for particular beneficiaries, can the executor of the will not give beneficiaries their inheritance out of spite even though the will specifically states who is to get what? If not, who will enforce this? Published: January 13, 2009
19. Explain what the five-year look-back period for Medicaid eligibility means? Published: October 27, 2008
20. The executor of an estate also owns half of the property, and his sister owns the other half. The sister dies, and her half goes to her daughter. Can her daughter sell her half without consulting the uncle? Published: October 27, 2008
21. Is the five-year look-back for Medicaid eligibility for long-term care five calendar years or five years from the point of admission to a facility? Published: October 27, 2008
22. My siblings took Mom to a doctor and had her declared incompetent. I have Power of Attorney and they are now bargaining to receive their inheritance before she dies. What should I do? Published: October 27, 2008
23. Must a surviving spouse will the family home to his or her children, or can it be given to a local college or non-profit organization? Published: October 27, 2008
24. My father died, and there were three surviving adult children. My siblings and I each received a cashier's check for $10,000 with a note from my ex-stepmother saying it was a gift from my father. No one ever contacted me to take care of my father's accounts. Please tell me if I have any rights to find out how his accounts were disbursed. I am the oldest surviving child. Published: July 28, 2008
25. What happens if the donor for a Uniform Transfers to Minors (UTMA) account is also the custodian and dies before a minor beneficiary reaches legal age according to state law? Published: July 28, 2008
26. How long in advance of Medicaid nursing home benefits do real estate and/or financial assets need to be transferred from a parent to a child to be protected from use in nursing home care? Published: July 28, 2008
27. How should a husband and wife divide their assets, and in whose name should assets be titled in order to reduce estate taxes at the time of death? Published: April 30, 2008
28. What is income in respect of a decedent? Published: March 26, 2008
29. If I receive funds from a life insurance policy upon the death of my father, are the funds tax free? Published: March 26, 2008
30. Must you have a will to leave part of your estate to charitable organizations such as the United Way? Published: March 26, 2008

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