As our world moves further along in the Digital Age, we as a society have become increasingly dependent and intrigued with the digital world around us. As a result of this dependence we have created and accumulated vast amounts of "digital assets". These digital assets range from and include the digital files on a computer,… Continue reading Planning for your Digital Estate
The COVID pandemic has caused many people to prepare for the worst and encouraged them to get their affairs in order. A major part of this has been estate planning and. in a time where social distancing is being encouraged, meeting an attorney at his or her office may sound less than ideal, many people are… Continue reading Do I Really Need an Attorney, or Can I Draft My Will Myself?
Passed by the legislature in the spring, House Bill 2548 established Oklahoma's new Uniform Power of Attorney act and went into effect on November 1st under Title 58. This act, which provides for more uniform power of attorney documents from state-to-state, mostly focuses on the financial power of attorney. Unfortunately though, through some drafting oversight, the… Continue reading What are these new change to Oklahoma’s power of attorney laws?
The answer to this question is probably yes, but depends on your personal goals. A valid will tells the probate court how you want your assets distributed after you pass, but even with a will, an estate needs to go through the probate process and have the court approve the will before assets are distributed. This typically takes at least… Continue reading I Already Had a Will Drafted, Do I need to do Anything Else?
Estate planning is not a very glamorous subject, and some people may think they don’t need to do it at all. Maybe you and your spouse have two grown children, and you know that when you pass everything will be given to them, but often there is a little more to it than that. Yes,… Continue reading What Exactly Does Estate Planning Include?
While no one wants to envision a worst case scenario when it comes to their health, life does happen, and if you become incapacitated, either for a short time, or long term, giving someone the power to make decisions on your behalf can be difficult if a plan has not been implemented beforehand. Whether you… Continue reading “Who Can Handle My Affairs If I Get Sick or Injured?”
A common question in estate planning is: “How do I dispose of my ‘stuff?’” While bank accounts can have beneficiaries listed, and items like homes and vehicles can be titled over to a trust, passing on the jewelry, furniture, and antiques around our homes may be less obvious, but does not necessarily need to be… Continue reading “I Know What Will Happen to my Finances, but What Will Happen to my ‘Stuff?’”
These types of assets are referred to as digital assets. Digital assets are your personal e-mail accounts, online bank and brokerage accounts, frequent flier accounts, Facebook accounts, and other social media websites. There are four main categories of digital assets: Personal assets Social media assets Financial assets Online business accounts While you may not… Continue reading Estate Planning for Your Facebook Account?
An Affidavit of Heirship is a sworn statement that can be used by heirs as an alternative way to transfer property and establish ownership when the original owner dies intestate or without a will. Affidavit of Heirships allow for heirs to take possession of the estate without going through probate. The Affidavit of Heirship outlines the deceased… Continue reading Affidavit of Heirship – An Alternative to Probate?
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act) was signed into law on December 20, 2019 and became effective on January 1, 2020. The SECURE Act makes over two dozen changes to the law affecting retirement benefits and inherited IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts). The revisions also apply to other defined contribution… Continue reading How Does The New Federal SECURE Act Affect Your Estate Plan for IRAs & 401(k) Plans?
