Category Archives: Estate Planning
What to Do When You Lose Your Spouse
Losing your spouse is never easy. Here are some things to remember once you are ready to move forward: Obtain. You should obtain multiple certified copies of the Death Certificate when it becomes available. You are going to need one for every life insurance policy, and many of the institutions holding assets will require one as well…. Read More »
Guidelines for Acting Under a General Durable Power of Attorney
If you have been appointed to serve as an agent, also known as an attorney-in-fact, under a General Durable Power of Attorney, the principal has placed a great deal of trust in you. As the agent, your authority extends to the management of the financial and personal matters affecting the principal, as described in the… Read More »
Estate Planning In A Digital World
It is no secret that we live in a world where many aspects of our lives have become ever-increasingly digital. Whether it is social media accounts, online banking or investing, email, cloud storage, or even travel rewards and points, so much of what we do takes place online. Online profiles and account information, stored photos,… Read More »
For Love or Money: When Is Influence Due and Undue?
Lawsuits challenging the validity of wills and trusts based on undue influence have become increasingly more common. In many, if not most cases, the persons alleged to be exerting the influence are family members or trusted others who use their position to unduly influence the elder for their own greed or financial gain. In a… Read More »
Changes Coming to Oklahoma’s Nontestamentary Transfer of Property Act (Transfer on Death Deeds)
Oklahoma probate law allows a person who owns an interest real estate to transfer the interest at the time of their death, without the need for probate. This is an excellent way for a person with a relatively small or simple estate to transfer a home, some land or even mineral interests to a friend or… Read More »