Receiving an inheritance often feels like a fresh financial start—but for many heirs, that windfall is accompanied by another reality: outstanding debt. Student loans, credit card balances, medical bills, or personal loans can weigh heavily on people who are otherwise financially responsible. So the big question becomes: should you use your inheritance to pay off...

Inheriting a home or property can feel like a blessing—until you realize it’s also one of the most common causes of delays during the probate process. Real estate adds complexity to any estate, and when multiple heirs are involved, or the property needs to be sold, refinanced, or legally transferred, it can take months or...

America is experiencing the greatest transfer of wealth in history. As Baby Boomers age and pass away, trillions of dollars in assets are expected to shift to their Millennial children and other younger heirs. But while the inheritance wave sounds promising, the reality is that many Millennials are not prepared—emotionally or financially—for what comes next....

Few things are more shocking than discovering you’ve been left out of a will. Whether it’s a child, sibling, or spouse, being disinherited can feel deeply personal and unjust. But disinheritance happens more often than people think, and in many cases, it’s not the end of the road. You can contest a will—but doing so...

It’s a question that more and more families are facing: what happens when a loved one dies without leaving a will? The legal term for this situation is “intestate,” and when someone dies intestate, the distribution of their assets is no longer determined by their personal wishes but instead by state law. For heirs, this...

When most people think of probate, they imagine a simple court process that transfers a deceased person’s assets to their heirs. Unfortunately, the reality is far more complicated—and expensive. The hidden costs of probate can catch families off guard, especially when they’re already dealing with the emotional toll of losing a loved one. From legal...

Cryptocurrency has exploded in popularity over the last decade, and many individuals now hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets as part of their wealth portfolio. But what happens when someone passes away and leaves behind crypto assets? For heirs, digital currency presents a unique challenge—especially when those assets are unaccounted for or hard to...

The rise of artificial intelligence tools has made it easier than ever to generate legal documents online. From contracts to leases, and even wills, people are now turning to AI to help them save time and money. But when it comes to something as important as a last will and testament, using AI to write...

Many heirs worry that when a loved one dies, they’ll inherit their debts too. Thankfully, that’s not usually the case. In most situations, debts are paid out of the estate’s assets during probate—not by the heirs themselves. That means credit card bills, medical debts, and personal loans are settled from the deceased’s bank accounts, property sales,...

A common source of confusion during probate involves joint bank accounts. Many people assume that adding a child or relative to their bank account will help them avoid probate—but the legal reality is more complicated. If the account is set up as “joint with right of survivorship,” the surviving person generally receives the funds directly—outside...