Northern Virginia Estate Planning Blog

Becoming a parent changes everything and brings new experiences. With parenthood comes joy, sleepless nights and a deep sense of responsibility. In the middle of this life shift, estate planning may be the last thing on your mind, but it should not be. If you have...

If you’ve learned that a recently deceased loved one left you far more assets (money, property or something else of significant value) than you were expecting, it’s not uncommon to feel what’s called “inheritor’s guilt.” This can happen with inheritances in the...

When your child heads off to college, you're likely focused on tuition bills, dorm shopping and emotional goodbyes. However, what you may not realize is that Virginia law now recognizes them as a legal adult, meaning you no longer have automatic authority over their...

One of the most important decisions that’s made during the estate planning process is determining who’s going to receive which assets. Some of these assets might include bank accounts, such as checking and savings accounts.  Totten trusts, which are a type of...

Wills and other estate planning documents typically do not expire. They retain their legal authority until the testator modifies their documents or replaces them with new legal instruments. There are many different experiences that may necessitate the review of estate...

There are specific legal documents that people tend to associate with estate planning. Wills, trust documents, advance medical directives and powers of attorney are all common inclusions in estate plans. Deeds are also potentially valuable for people with real...

If you’ve delayed starting your estate plan, many others wait until major life changes push them to act. In Northern Virginia, many families delay estate planning until their children are older or their assets have grown. When the time comes to put a plan in place,...

You’re interested in leaving an inheritance to some of your family members, such as adult children or grandchildren. At the same time, you may be concerned about their behavior or the choices they’ll make moving forward. You want to find a way to encourage what you...

Estate planning, unfortunately, is not the norm. Roughly two-thirds of all people in America, according to some studies, do not have an estate plan. Some of this is due to age. For many people, the issue isn’t that they don’t want to write a will or that they don’t...