Category Archives: Wills
Common Will Mistakes
Sadly, families sometimes fight over an inheritance. The reported court battle taking place between Revlon heiress Samantha Perelman and her uncle James Cohen is one such example. It appears Ms. Perelman is claiming that her uncle used undue influence in order to squeeze her out of her grandfather’s will. One way to reduce the… Read More »
Probating a Copy of a Lost Will
The Washington Post reports that the Spanish city of La Coruna is trying to track down the person who lost a lottery ticket worth $6.3 million. Anyone attempting to claim the money will need to satisfy authorities that he or she is the true owner of the lost ticket, which might not be an… Read More »
The Appointment of a Personal Representative
In Florida, the person appointed by the court to administer a decedent’s estate is known as a personal representative. You nominate a personal representative in your will. In some states the person nominated is referred to as an executor (female: executrix), but this term is no longer used in Florida. You should nominate a… Read More »
Simultaneous Death Law
Tragically, reports of several members of the same family being killed in an accident are not uncommon. One such example is the recent report of five family members who were killed by a rockslide while they were hiking in Colorado. In cases such as this, it is often impossible to know which family member… Read More »
Can I Disinherit My Child?
Television producer and personality Simon Cowell has reportedly stated that he intends to leave his fortune to charity rather than to his son. People choose to disinherit their children for a variety of reasons, and if you wish to do so you should prepare a will. Make a will By preparing a will, you… Read More »
Removing a Personal Representative
A personal representative is the person appointed by the probate court to administer a decedent’s estate and distribute the assets. If the decedent left a will, the court usually appoints the person chosen in the will. Where there is no will, the court selects a personal representative based on a statutory order of preference…. Read More »
Some Common Will Terms Explained
It seems that we are constantly bombarded with jargon, and legal documents are certainly no exception. Wills in particular often contain arcane terms which can be difficult to decipher. The following is a brief explanation of some common terms associated with wills and probate: Beneficiary — A person (or entity) who receives property under… Read More »