You can't stop time from passing. As you are asking yourself how another year went by so quickly, take control of those things that you can control and that can give comfort and support to your loved ones: review your estate plan using this year-end estate planning checklist.

Changes in your health, your assets, or your family situation occur over the course of a year. Taking an afternoon to address what these changes mean for your estate plan can give you peace of mind in those long winter nights and provide comfort for your loved ones, too.

The adoption of the European Parliament's European Succession Regulation in 2012 simplified estate planning in the European Union. The regulation also resolved jurisdictional and choice of law issues. Unfortunately, no single overarching law governs international estate planning for other countries, including the United States.

Significant changes were made to WV gun laws for businesses in the 2018 legislative session. House Bill 4187, an amendment to West Virginia Code §61-7-14, created the Business Liability Protection Act. The Act effectively bans businesses from restricting the rights of individuals to stow a firearm in a personal vehicle on employer property under certain circumstances.

Whatever your age, income, or family status, you have probably heard of and considered estate planning. An estate plan ensures that the money you work so hard to earn protects and benefits your loved ones. However, another planning option you may not have considered is charitable estate planning. Charitable estate planning is a rewarding way to benefit a worthwhile charity or organization, while reaping tax benefits for you and your family both now and later.

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 and enforceable. Unintentional, technical errors in WV wills can cast doubt on your intentions or even invalidate your will altogether. For that reason, it's essential to ensure that your will and other estate planning documents are well prepared and free of mistakes.