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

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

Divorce can involve complex legal issues, but at a minimum it involves the identification and protection of each party’s rights and property following the termination of the marriage. But what happens when a spouse executes a will during the…

August 16, 2018

You may worry that someone unhappy with a bequest may challenge your will and delay the probate of your will. But using no-contest clauses to avoid conflict after your death can provide your family with the gift of peace of mind. A no-contest clause…

September 13, 2018

A will is an important legal document that communicates your wishes about the distribution of your property after your death. In West Virginia as in most states, a will must comply with the standards set out by statute in order to be valid…

November 13, 2018

You have the best of intentions when you execute a will, wanting to ease the burden on loved ones by leaving instructions on the distribution of your estate after your death. But executing a will isn't always a matter of set it and forget…

April 15, 2019

People plan for many things-vacations, college, retirement. If an individual avoids end-of-life planning and passes away with no will in Kentucky, the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) dictate that person's rightful heirs.…

June 11, 2019

Although it might sound like a three-dimensional image, a holographic will is simply a will that is completely handwritten and signed by the testator, the person leaving instructions on how his or her estate should be distributed at death. West…

June 18, 2019

If you have ever written a will, perhaps you remember thinking as you wrote it that it was truly your "last" will and testament, to be stored away and not retrieved until your death. Times change, however, and so do people, relationships, and…

August 13, 2019

The death of a loved one brings a variety of changes, including grief and the winding up of the deceased’s estate. Normally, the decedent’s will directs the distribution of assets and debts, but what happens when someone disputes the will…

August 27, 2019