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A widow who had three children dies suddenly, leaving a will that states her assets are to be divided equally amongst the children. But one of them predeceased her, and the will was never changed. So does that mean that the remaining two children each inherit half of the estate, or do they each receive a third, with the remaining third going to a grandchild, the child of the deceased sibling?

As the executor of the estate, it’s your sole and solemn obligation to make this determination. Being an executor is a big, responsible job, and without the advice of an experienced, competent probate attorney, you may find yourself in a quagmire of confusing, technical details and highly charged emotional issues.

First off, what is the definition of an executor, and what are your responsibilities?The executor is chosen by the decedent (the person who has died) and is responsible for administering the decedent’s estate according to his or her wishes and for safeguarding the assets of the estate. Read more…

With the near collapse of AIG, the world’s largest insurance company many people are asking questions about the financial soundness of a variety of insurance companies. Here is a potential backstop based on the Guarantee funds that operate in each state in the US.

What To Look For

All insurance companies’ public comments indicate they are well capitalized and have plenty of funds in reserve. Such statements, as we have seen, can be self-serving if not downright false.

The purpose of this article is to clarify an important fact for insurance policyholders. It is the exposure presented by the use of Non-Admitted (also know as unauthorized insurers) insurance versus Admitted carriers for your insurance company. Read more…