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Questions Answered by Nina Whitehurst
1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Real Estate Law and Probate for Georgia on
Q: Does Regulation Z's Ability-To-Repay Rule to Certain Situations Involving Successors-in-Interest apply to me, in GA?

I am seeking clarification of the Application of Regulation Z's Ability-To-Repay Rule to Certain Situations Involving Successors-in-Interest, pertaining to Successors-in-Interest who do not have the title to a property. It is my understanding that this rule was intended to prevent predatory... View More

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answered on Dec 5, 2023

Loan assumptions absolutely do not transfer title. You probably need a probate for that, but this is state-specific and you did not say what state the property is in. You also did not say whether the property is residential or not, and that matters too.

Lenders are all too happy to accept...
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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for New York on
Q: Testamentary trust or Pour Over Will?

I am a man in my late 60s and I want all of my death assets (money, house) to go to a trustee (my attorney's office) when I die. When my underage sons turns the age of majority, then I want him to control these assets.

Should I do a testamentary trust or a pour over will?

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answered on Nov 30, 2023

Most people do both. You create the trust and put your assets into it. The trust specifies who gets what when you die and avoids probate. The trust also specifies who manages the assets for your son until he reaches the age that you designate. It doesn't have to be the age of majority.... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Tennessee on
Q: Do distributions to a beneficiary of an IDGT turn off grantor trust status

Need to determine if distributions to a beneficiary of an IDGT would turn off grantor trust status and cause a portion the income for that year to be taxed to the beneficiary rather than the grantor.

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answered on Nov 28, 2023

Typically it is the other way around. That is, income is taxed to the grantor rather than the beneficiary. This is actually considered a feature rather than a bug. But not all IDGTs are created equal. The only way to know for certain with respect to any given IDGT is for an attorney to review... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for New Jersey on
Q: My sister has durable poa n I am name second n bro thrd. as am being left out n they both been stealing sister delegated

I am second backup if sister step down etc. Her n my brother are using poa to defraud assets of estate

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answered on Nov 20, 2023

You probably need to hire an attorney to petition the court to appoint you as conservator over the person they are looting. Then as conservator you can sue them for return of the stolen assets. Fair warning: This kind of litigation can be quite expensive, but if you prove your case usually the... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for Texas on
Q: Our family trusts, healthcare proxy, etc need update to address and daughter's last name. Codicils okay? Or rewrite all?
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answered on Nov 13, 2023

It sounds like daughter has changed her name. None of the documents you mentioned need to be mentioned solely for that reason. When the time comes she can easily prove she is the same person as the one named in those documents.

But if you have other changes then best to replace them all...
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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Tax Law for California on
Q: If I gift to my heirs, which accounts should I gift from to reduce taxes after I die? Tax deferred, Roth or savings?
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answered on Nov 8, 2023

Funds coming out of a traditional (non-Roth) IRA or 401k are taxable whether taken out during life or when withdrawn after death. If all of your beneficiaries are natural persons then they will be required to make withdrawals from the traditional/taxable IRAs that you leave to them on a specified... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Tennessee on
Q: I’m listed as beneficiary in family trust but it doesn’t say anything about me for distribution of funds. What do I do?

Grandma lists My mom, both my aunts, and myself and two sisters as beneficiaries of “the irrevocable family trust” but under distribution of funds it only says my sisters and I and my aunts. It doesn’t mention my mother. My aunts are trying to say she was cut out of the will but if that’s... View More

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answered on Nov 8, 2023

This forum is meant for obtaining answers to questions of a general nature. You are asking for very specific advice about a particular set of circumstances. There is no attorney in this forum that will be able to answer your question without reviewing the trust instrument itself, at a minimum.... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Tennessee on
Q: Tenncare claim of estate

I got a letter today from Medicare for signing to see if she owned on any bills since she was in nursing home since 2020 and a copy of death certificate. I have profound hearing loss was on a disability check until I got married in 2020. My dad and her signed property over to me in 2016. Only thing... View More

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answered on Nov 6, 2023

It is very uncommon for any living individual to be personally liable for the debts of a deceased person. However, the creditors of a decedent may make claims against the decedent’s estate.

It is extremely uncommon, also, for a decedent to owe money to Medicare. More likely, Medicare...
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3 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy, Consumer Law and Estate Planning for Florida on
Q: Will creating a trust for protection of personal assets also protect the beneficiary from a bad credit history?

As one slowly recovers from hard economic times (including the filing of a CH7 bankruptcy), which was discharged in 2019, one's personal credit history often takes much longer to recover. Things stay on their credit record long after the person has been declared "debt free,"... View More

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answered on Oct 30, 2023

There is such a thing as a self-settled spendthrift or asset protection trust, but many states do not allow them. Also, typically the settlor (you) cannot also serve as trustee of the trust. In other words, you would not have signature authority over the assets that you put in the trust. And,... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Estate Planning and Probate for Wyoming on
Q: Can a divorce decree act as a will?

When my parents divorced, they agreed to leave the house in both of their names. When one dies it is left to the ex-spouse and when they both die, it is divided among the kids. Both remarried. My father passed without a will. They did not have any other documentation, such as Right to Survivorship... View More

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answered on Oct 14, 2023

Because your father passed without a will, his estate will be administered under the laws of intestate succession. That does give his new wife very high priority. However, your mother, who I assume survived him, should be able to make a claim against the estate for the house based on the divorce... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Rights, Elder Law, Probate and Public Benefits for Minnesota on
Q: Pay $13.000 + 4.000.00 retainer fee to be belittled by your lawyer and in front of his peers. Is this common practice?

Dad has Dementia. Im his daughter, POA, lived, cared for him for 2 years by myself until he fell. He has a living will, trust,etc. In the VA Hospital for 1 year. "Now, It's my fault dad will not get the waiver for assisted living because I failed to supply a list of items on time, I WILL... View More

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answered on Sep 28, 2023

Your perspective on this may or may not be skewed. One way to find out would be to obtain a second opinion from another attorney. This forum is not a way of obtaining a second opinion. For that you would need to consult an individual attorney and provide ALL of the background information and... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Probate for California on
Q: I am beneficiary of my mother's bank account. She died without a will. Her assets are less than 185000. My sister took

Car w/o my knowledge or consent. From my research since there is no will beneficiaries pass probate and become owner of her property. True or not?

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answered on Sep 16, 2023

Ownership of decedent’s property does not pass automatically. Some kind of legal process is required. In your case it is possible that you can use a small estate affidavit to pass title to all assets to the heirs at law. If your mom was single when she died and survived by two living children and... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Puerto Rico on
Q: My parents are married, own a home in Puerto Rico and were told they had to make two individual wills. Is this correct?

My parents were told they have to make two living wills separately even though they are married. We are three children in total, one of which is my mothers child from a previous marriage. Both my parent's name are in the house documentation.

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answered on Sep 5, 2023

A "living will" is an advance directive that expresses one's wishes with respect to end of life medical decisions. My guess is what you meant to write was "last will and testament" or simply "will". It is very uncommon for a married couple to make a joint will... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Texas on
Q: Is it common for a creditor to repossess an item and then additionally withdraw all of the funds from the estate?

My grandpa from Texas passed a year ago. I am the sole beneficiary, but my great aunt was listed as the executor. I am in California and she is in Michigan. I wanted to put myself as executor. A friend of my grandpa’s in Texas misunderstood this and put herself as executor.

My grandpa had... View More

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answered on Aug 28, 2023

When an item of tangible personal property (such as an RV) that secures a loan is repossessed because the loan is in default, the lender typically auctions the repossessed item and applies the proceeds to the balance due on the loan. Typically the proceeds are not sufficient to pay the balance... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Tennessee on
Q: My mom died, if I am the beneficiary on accidental death & dismemberment, does the proceeds go to the estate account?

She has a Will, my stepbrother is the executor. The policy was not mentioned at all in the Will.

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answered on Aug 28, 2023

If you are the named beneficiary of the AD&D policy, then the proceeds are payable directly to you, bypassing the probate estate. The check should be made payable to you and then you deposit the check into your personal bank account. You make a claim by calling the company and letting them... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Social Security for Minnesota on
Q: Can Social Security Survivor Benefits be paid into a trust?

My Brother is currently in hospice and his minor child will be eligible for SS Survivor Benefits after he passes. We wish to protect these benefits from the minor child's mother who has a history of not having minor child's best interests in mind when it comes to the support she has... View More

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answered on Aug 23, 2023

Social Security pays children's benefits to a representative payee, an adult who is deemed responsible for handling the monthly payments. A representative payee may be a parent, relative, guardian or friend of the family. Social Security requires the payee to file an annual report of how the... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law, Probate and Estate Planning for Georgia on
Q: If I have a mortgage on my property in Georgia, can I put the property in my trust's name?

The house has not been paid off as yet

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answered on Aug 16, 2023

Yes, you can transfer your property to your trust. All that is required to effect the transfer is a deed.

The real question is what are the consequences if/when your lender finds out. The answer to that question depends on whether the property is residential or non-residential and whether...
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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Probate for Colorado on
Q: Life insurance policy on my late finance , death certificate said we were married even through we were not.

Life insurance policy on my late finance , death certificate said we were married even through we were not. Papers asking if he was married at time of death What should his mother and I do he did not have a will or beneficiary

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answered on Aug 16, 2023

You definitely shouldn't lie, but if the life insurance policy names you as the beneficiary, it does not matter. If the life insurance does not have a beneficiary, then it matters a lot. There might need to be a probate to determine the proper distribution of the life insurance if no death... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law and Estate Planning for California on
Q: Required steps in CA to get property titled correctly so deceased share goes to other co-owner

My aunt and I are co owners on our inherited family home. I received my 50% about 8 years after my mother's death via simple probate here in Sacramento, California. My aunt had no children and when either of us die we told the title company which helped us sell the acerage that we wanted that... View More

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answered on Aug 14, 2023

It is possible for the two of you to sign a deed transferring the property to yourselves as joint tenants with right of survivorship. When one of you dies, the other becomes the sole owner. Keep in mind, however, that this can backfire. If YOU die first, then your aunt will become the sole... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Probate for California on
Q: What are the statute of limitations on an heir being able to claim property with or without a will in California ?
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answered on Aug 13, 2023

Your question is more complicated than you realize. It cannot be answered without a lot more facts. It depends on whether the estate was ever probated and what has occurred with respect to the property you have in mind since the date of death. My best advice is to schedule a consultation with a... View More

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