One of the most common reasons people cite for preparing their estate plan is that they want to avoid probate and keep their affairs private. What is probate? Probate is the court process of confirming the validity of the deceased persons’ will (if any) and transferring the assets from the deceased person to the heirs. …
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As the coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life and leave Americans uncertain of the future, you don’t have to feel helpless during this pandemic. In fact, now is a great time to be proactive and plan ahead should you or a loved one fall ill. One of the most important and relatively easy things you…
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You have recently divorced your spouse and the judge has signed the divorce decree. Now what? Although you may feel as though you have spent enough time and money on lawyers, there is one last attorney you need to talk to: an estate planning attorney. Estate planning after divorce is critical to ensure your wishes…
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Welcome to 2020! A new year is a time for optimism and new opportunities. It is a time to start fresh and make sure you are headed in the right direction. But making New Year’s resolutions is not enough: Take action now to ensure that you and your family or loved ones are prepared for…
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Planning your summer vacation (or any vacation!) is a stressful task. You have to coordinate across various times and places, and usually, you also have to work with companies that may or may not be helpful (hello, every airline ever). All of this is can be a headache, but what about the travel anxieties that…
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Gratitude for Greatness is a program launched by Neal Law Firm in order to give back to those who serve our community. It was established in June of 2019 and will be open to applicants indefinitely. Here’s what you need to know about the program. What it Does In summary, the Gratitude for Greatness program…
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An LLC a limited liability company, and it can be used to run a business or it can be used to hold assets. In a recent article, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) exclaimed that its optimism index is at an all-time high, with small-business owners planning to break records with hiring and expanding.…
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Thanks for reading our Top Tips for Creating Your Estate Plan! To get started on your estate plan, call Neal Law Firm today at 480-699-7992.
One step of the probate process is dealing with probate creditors. This includes identifying and notifying the creditors of the deceased and settling the deceased’s debts. After death, a personal representative (the PR), assigned by either a written will or by the court, will handle the estate left by the decedent. One of the first…
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What is a probate bond? Probate bonds, which can also be referred to as fiduciary bonds are required by the court of individuals that are acting on behalf of others. For example, a fiduciary may be appointed by the court to manage someone’s finances, or to care for that individual if they are either too…
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Avoiding Probate with Probate Affidavits Also called a “small estate” affidavit, probate affidavits allow the heirs of a deceased person to collect the decedent’s property without having to open probate. This is also sometimes called the small estate probate exemption. There are two types of probate affidavits – personal property and real property. Personal property is anything…
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Piercing the Corporate Veil – What does it mean, exactly? First, let’s start with the concept of a corporation or limited liability company (LLC). Because they are in and of themselves “entities,” corporations and LLC’s have a legal existence – rights and liabilities distinct from their owners. So, the officers and shareholders are normally not…
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