Clients often ask me “Why do I need a power of attorney …. I am not sick, and I don’t want anyone to have that kind of control over me or my finances.” A “Power of Attorney” (or POA) is a document in which you appoint a specific person the authority to act on your...
In Tennessee, a person can leave his estate pretty much to whoever he wants.* Of course, when a person dies without a will, the State of Tennessee provides for how property is divided. See the blog article entitled, “When Aunt Becky Had No Will.” If a...
An occasional question that comes up in drafting a will, is whether the person making a will can disinherit a child. The simple answer is that in Tennessee, parents can disinherit a son or daughter. No reason needs to be stated in the will. Some think they must leave...
In Tennessee, a Court may appoint a Conservator for a person who lacks mental capacity to handle his / her own affairs. But what exactly does a Conservator DO and what are the responsibilities of the job? There are two types of authority which the Court will normally...
In Tennessee, like most states, estates frequently include the decedent’s firearms. There are legal concerns for the executor1 concerning distributing the firearms to beneficiaries or heirs of an estate. These can involve a beneficiary who is disqualified from...
No one can predict the future, but it appears likely that we’ll see some major changes the federal estate tax law following President-elect Trump’s inauguration on January 20th. A repeal of the federal estate tax has been discussed, along with what I’ll call an...
