It’s often said that art imitates life. If that’s true of the popular movie, I Care a Lot, life can get pretty scary in the world of conservators and conservatorship. Conservatorship is designed to protect a person who has, for any number of reasons, become incapable of managing his or…
How do you know whether or not you’ll need to go through the Connecticut probate court? To answer this question, first let’s understand what probate is and the purpose it serves. What is Probate? Probate is the process for settling an estate under court supervision. It’s designed to serve as…
By Jeff Rivard The saying “you can’t take it with you” is meant to remind people that no matter how much wealth you accumulate in your lifetime, you’ll have to leave it behind when you pass. Unfortunately, for your heirs, the same goes for your debts. Turns out that dying…
During a time of grief and sadness, the thought of having to go through probate can understandably bring on additional anxiety and confusion. And, if your loved one owned out-of-state property, you may now be tasked with dealing with an additional layer of cumbersome paperwork and probate proceedings. So you…
Your spouse just passed away, and everything your spouse owned had a joint or beneficiary designation. All of your spouse’s assets go to you without having to go through probate first. End of story, right? Not exactly. Did you know that you still have to file paperwork with the probate…
If you’re confused, or unfamiliar with trusts as part of an estate plan, you’re not alone! Some people need to have a trust, others do not. Then there’s the probate process. Does having a trust impact the probate process? Should you have a trust to avoid the probate process? To…
So your duty as executor has kicked in. And the word “probate” keeps popping up. Not sure what probate is? You’re not alone. Most people don’t know much about the probate process in Connecticut unless they’ve had firsthand experience with it, for example, when a family member dies and his…
Contrary to popular belief, a Will or Last Will and Testament, isn’t always written in stone. Quite frequently, disputes arise over the contents of a Will and the parties who are at odds must seek outside help to resolve the issues. Because there are often conflicts of interest around such…
By Carmine Perri Because of my practice area, probate and elder law litigation, I oftentimes find myself in either the courtroom or the hallway with a client fielding this all too common question: “What could we have done to avoid all of this?” You probably have an estate plan which…
Note: For additional information on conservatorship, please read our introductory post, What Is a Conservatorship? and the follow up, Applying for Conservatorship in Connecticut. Deciding to conserve a loved one is a complex and sometimes painful process. You want the best care and quality of life for the people you…