Great question and answers. Let me say a word about do-it-yourself wills. These are "1 sized fits all" documents of questionable validity. The...

Here's where the "legal" answer and the "practical" answer might be different. Legally: you're good. If they're legal in NY, they're legal here. ...

How do I find out if I am named in a will?

Craig's advice is good. If he had a safe deposit box or kept a file of important papers, you may wish to check there. In my experience, Wills are...

Tinkering with a trust or Will can be perilous. There are often "unintended consequences" to any changes. The Trust would specify your authority...

Inheritance question.

If it's owned by the Trust, then it has to be transferred by the trustee or successor trustee for you to have the title. The facts are a bit...

You correctly recognize that the inheritance is your "separate property". Converting to "community property" is not taxable. However, by doing...

You address a very personal concern that many PR's experience: the practical hassle of dealing with family members, their resentments,...

My experience with these "free" wills has not been good. The real problem is that the choices and provisions are not well explained and often lead...

The 3 of us children are on estate will, can the two of them get on title without me?

Generally, the name on title governs ownership, and the owner can designate his/her beneficiaries in the will. So, yes, if the estate goes to 3...

Congrats on finding some additional assets. This happens more than you'd expect. Many financial institutions want "fresh" Letters Testamentary to...