Will contests are expensive and can cause a disruption to the family involved. Probate laws limit the circumstances in which a family member or beneficiary can contest someone's last wishes. Feeling shocked or dissatisfied with the terms your loved one has in their...

As you make your estate plan, odds are good that your home is your most valuable asset. For most people, the only thing that would come close is a family business or a life insurance policy -- or, of course, another piece of real estate, such as a second home or a...

Most people create their last will long before they die. They may even have a collection of documents in a comprehensive estate plan. The people left behind when someone dies can review their last will to learn their wishes. After filing the document with probate...

When you create an estate plan, you protect yourself and the people you love. Your last will ensures that your property passes to the people you want to receive it. Your living will can help your loved ones take care of you and your finances if you wind up...

When someone dies, the probate courts have the authority to oversee the administration of their estate. Massachusetts probate laws guide how people plan their estates and how executors carry out their last wishes. Most of the time, testators make plans that aim to...

At the heart of any will contest is the idea that the deceased's will is somehow invalid. The grounds for that thought vary, including things like undue influence, lack of mental capacity or a fraudulent signature.  However, don’t assume that these are the only...

When you drafted your will, your attorney likely told you that it will be necessary to update it when there are changes to your family or your assets that impact the will’s provisions. This could include marriage, divorce, a new child, the death of your chosen...

Are you interested in reducing the odds of an estate dispute and making the probate process go more smoothly for your heirs? The first step is to do your estate planning, of course. A proper estate plan can help avoid many issues that heirs face when they have to make...

If you wish to contest a will in Massachusetts, you need to be what is called an interested person. It usually means family, those previously named as beneficiaries in the deceased's will or creditors. These are some of the reasons you may contest a will: It was not...

When talking about estates and wills, “undue influence” means someone took advantage of the testator’s declining physical or mental state to get something they wanted -- usually the bulk of that person’s estate. In the movies, it’s always a young caretaker who worms...