Category: Estate Planning

When you create an estate plan, you people to respect that plan after you pass away. However, residents of Louisiana must navigate unique legal terrain when crafting their estate plans. One such distinctive feature is Louisiana’s forced heirship law, which can render an estate plan invalid in some situations. What should you know about this...

Life is always changing, and so should your estate plan. Think of your estate plan as instructions for what happens to your property and who takes care of you if you can’t make decisions. It includes essential papers like wills and powers of attorney. But what happens when life throws you a curveball? That’s when...

Creating your estate plan takes a lot of thought. You have to think about who you want to get your assets when you die, but that’s not all you have to consider. End-of-life planning, including setting up power of attorney designations, is also important.  A power of attorney is a document that gives someone besides...

While many people focus heavily on what to do with their assets when they’re creating an estate plan, it’s also important to think about who will help to protect their interests and their assets if they become incapacitated. Setting up power of attorney designations as part of your estate plan can address this need. There...

It is certainly wise to make an estate plan in advance. You never know exactly how long you have. You may have decades, or just a few days. Your family is protected if you have an estate plan on file, even if they don’t use it for years to come. But one of the problems...

Avoiding succession court is sometimes the goal of a testator who drafts estate planning documents. They may try to make plans that keep as many of their assets out of court as possible. They may also include special terms in their documents to prevent their family members from taking legal action during the succession process....

Choosing a suitable trustee for your trust is a pivotal decision that requires careful consideration and planning. Your trustee will play a significant role in managing your wealth and helping ensure that your wishes are carried out per the terms of the trust. Whether you’re setting up a trust for estate planning purposes or to...

When making an estate plan, testators can draft their will. A will is a legal document that instructs how the testator wishes their assets to be handled after their passing and who should benefit from the estate. However, wills are vulnerable to probate, disputes and estate taxes. To avoid these issues, people can create trusts...

An executor is a person who is responsible for administering the testator’s estate once they pass away. The executor of the estate is typically named in a will before the testator’s death. There’s a lot that an executor has to accomplish to settle an estate. It may behoove the testator to discuss certain matters with their executor....

Many Americans view pets as cherished members of their families. They provide them with love, care and attention throughout their lives, just as they would any other family member. Yet, many adults who care for pets in devoted ways don’t take time to consider what might happen to their dear companions in the event that...

Adults in Louisiana have the right to put together estate plans that address their personal wishes for their care as they age and the distribution of their assets after they die. Families that have just lost a loved one are often grateful that the decedent had the foresight to put together documents outlining their wishes...

People sometimes think that, once they have an estate plan in place, they can forget about it. They know that it’s important to make the plan, but they consider making it to be the only step they really have to take. After that, their financial future is secure. But this can be a major mistake....