The ordinary meaning of the word residue is a leftover part or remnant. In estate planning, residue has a special meaning, referring to the portion of a deceased person’s assets that remain after all debts and taxes have been paid and gifts have been made to...
Upon the death of the testator—the person who made the will—probate will be opened if the testator died owning accounts or property in their sole name and without a properly completed beneficiary designation form. Probate is the court-supervised process in which the...
Many married couples share almost everything, including finances. This may be reflected in their estate plan by using one joint living trust instead of two separate trusts. Separate trusts can provide greater flexibility, but a joint trust can be structured so that...
