As an estate planning attorney, I am always surprised by the number of friends and family who have not yet completed their estate planning.  For me, it seems like such an important and natural part of adulthood.  One evening as I watched…

April 27, 2017

A trust is a common tool used to manage or pass on a person's assets. In West Virginia, as elsewhere, trusts are used for a variety of purposes, such as tax planning, providing financial security for one or more trust beneficiaries, or donating…

May 19, 2017

While there have been some rumblings about handling digital assets in the probate process in West Virginia, there has been no legislation enacted to give specific guidance. Do you need a digital property estate plan? And what is digital property…

June 01, 2017

Most people don’t want to think about what will happen to them if they are in an accident or become very ill and incapacitated. Unfortunately, not preparing for such unthinkable situations can lead to untimely medical care and more stress than…

August 01, 2017

The death of a loved one brings on a world of grief that can only be understood by those left behind. There is a flurry of personal emotions of fear, anger, guilt, sadness, and despair to cope with. And all while dealing with the confusing personal…

August 29, 2017

As an estate planning attorney, I see a lot of wills that were created online at various websites or using in fill in the blank forms.  Despite a will likely being the most important financial planning document a person can have, it is…

October 31, 2017

Lawyers all over the country, as well as physicians, omnibus men and others in the legal and medical professions, spend a great deal of time trying to convince us all to have a “living will.” Some of us understand what a living will is,…

November 20, 2017

Need help with West Virginia power of attorney laws? You’ve come to the right place. This blog is the first in a series of three dealing with powers of attorney in the Mountain State. In it, we’ll give an overview of the most common…

January 18, 2018

Many people know they need to have a power of attorney. Not wanting to pay a lawyer for drafting, they turn to the Internet to find a form document that will be legal where they live. Is this a safe strategy? This is a tricky question, and the answer…

January 25, 2018

With the convenience of the Internet, a lot of West Virginians try to save money or try new things through “do-it-yourself (DIY)” research. You can find DIY car repair, DIY arts and crafts projects, DIY home repairs, and nearly every…

February 08, 2018