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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Scottsdale Probate Attorney Who Provides Cost Effective Representation A loved one’s passing is an understandably stressful time. In addition to grieving for a loved one, individuals often find themselves in the position of being responsible to manage their love one’s final affairs. When it comes to the legal aspect of handling a love one’s affairs,…
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Question: Do I need a living trust? Answer: It depends on your family situation, assets and estate planning goals. First, what is a living trust? A living trust, also called a revocable living trust, is an estate planning vehicle that allows you to transfer your property to other persons after passing. You can also specify…
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Thank you for visiting neallawaz.com to learn some basics about wills and probate. First, let’s define both wills and probate: A will is a document which states who should inherit a person’s property after passing, who should administer their estate during a probate matter (the “personal representative”), and who should serve as the guardian for…
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We are often asked by our clients: what is probate? Probate is the legal process by which a will is proved valid or invalid and the estate of a decedent is administered. In Arizona, the probate court has special jurisdiction over probate and estate matters. The Probate Court also handles matters involving guardianship, conservatorship, elder…
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When a loved one passes a person may find out that they were named as the deceased individual’s Personal Representative. What does that mean? It mean the person was nominated by the deceased to administer his or her estate after passing. A Personal Representative (called an Executor in other states) has the following duties: Duties…
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Upon the death of a loved one, families face the burdensome task of distributing the property and debts of the deceased. That process—sadly—has the potential to strain familial relationships. With this in mind, Neal Law Firm provides estate planning, including the creation of wills and trusts, in order for individuals to plan ahead and potentially…
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Arizona law provides that certain “small estates” may avoid probate by using a small estate probate Affidavit. Recently, the dollar amount of assets that qualify for the exemption increased. Previously, if a decedent owned $50,000 or less in personal property, the decedent’s heirs could use a Small Estate Affidavit for the Collection of Personal Property. …
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Question: When should I create a trust? My assets include a couple of cars, my home, less than $100,000 in savings and a 401k. Do I need a trust? Answer: A Revocable Living Trust can be beneficial for anyone, regardless of what they do or the amount of assets they own. The best time to…
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Estate Planning for Women is Critical While estate planning is important for everyone, women especially need to understand estate planning and have a plan of their own in place. Here are some issues that are of particular interest to women and their estate planning. Incapacity On average, women live longer than men. As such, there…
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From time to time, we like to go over why having a complete, up-to-date estate plan is so important. We hope this article and provide you with valuable information to for yourself and your family and information that you can pass along to friends and family who, for whatever reasons, haven’t created an estate plan…
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