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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Tennessee on
Q: Clamming land that was quite clammed deeded and now person's are dead

A portion of property from original property was quite claim deeded to persons that are now dead . How to go about getting that piece of land back

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answered on Oct 25, 2024

There are too many facts missing from your narrative to answer your question in any definitive way. As to each name on the deed an attorney would need to know if the person died testate or intestate, where he or she died, whether the estate was ever probated and where, if the death was recent... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law and Probate for California on
Q: Can a grant deed that will be filed in California be notarized in Oregon?

Real property will be transferred via probate. Executor currently has work in Oregon so we would like to know if it can be done this way for convenience. Thank you!

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answered on Oct 25, 2024

Yes, a deed can be notarized anywhere is the US (notarizing outside the US is more complicated) and then recorded in California. But California will (wrongfully in my opinion) insist on the use of the California statutory notarial affidavit. The trick is finding an out of state notary who knows how... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Tennessee on
Q: What is a "non statutory, non grantor,irrevocable, discretionary,complex, spendthrift" trust? Social media scams?

I'm seeing a lot of social media "gurus" tout this specific language when referring to set up a trust. They say a lawyer cannot set these up and the only way to sue the trust is in the supreme Court.

It's very obvious that this is a scam but without a legal background I... View More

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answered on Sep 29, 2024

The IRS released a memo on August 9, 2023, discussing non-grantor, irrevocable, complex, discretionary, spendthrift trust.

The memo was limited to rebutting the promoters misinterpretation of IRC 643 on the avoidance of income tax. The link to the memo is below....
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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Alabama on
Q: What is best and safest to secure the transfer of ownership of a my house/property to my daughter.

Im 36 fully own a property with home and want to know the best and secure way to ensure the transfer of ownership to my daughter in the situation of my sudden demise so the property can't be legally sold or anything without my daughter being a legal adult to make her own decisions regarding... View More

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answered on Sep 27, 2024

Placing the home in a revocable living trust would work well in this situation. You retain total control during your lifetime and when you pass the house passes to a successor trustee for the benefit of your daughter. You would want to put all of your assets in the trust so they can all be managed... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Tax Law for Rhode Island on
Q: Can I name 3 people on my life estate

Im drawing up a life estate deed and want to name biological son, step-son and there mother whom I was never married to. I want my son and his mom to live in the home’ for life’. My step-son owns his own home but don’t want to leave him out..Will that be an investment property to my step-son... View More

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answered on Sep 25, 2024

Your intentions are unclear. Do you want to grant a life estate to your son and his mother for their joint lives, remainder to you? (So you move out while they are alive and then move back in when they die.) Or do you want to convey the property to them, reserving a life estate to yourself? (You... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Health Care Law and Elder Law for Tennessee on
Q: My MIL lives with me in TN and has property in NC that is not habitable. Is property protected asset with medicaid

She is in need of long term facility care.

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answered on Sep 19, 2024

If the property your MIL owns in NC is in her name, it would be a countable asset for Medicaid qualification purposes and would most likely be disqualifying. However, there are techniques that can be used to obtain Medicaid qualification while still owning the property and trying to sell it. An... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Tax Law for New York on
Q: A parent has a trust with 2 beneficiaries. Give a house to one kid now and give half the value to the other.

A parent has a trust with 2 beneficiaries. We would like to move a house into a separate trust with only one beneficiary. So the house is being given to one child but the other should get half of the 2024 value somehow

Not sure the best way to do this so the other child gets half the 2024... View More

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answered on Aug 30, 2024

Giving the house to one beneficiary now could have many unintended negative consequences such as loss of step up in basis at the death of the gift giver and a hefty Medicaid penalty period assessed against the gift giver on account of the lifetime uncompensated transfer.

This is not the...
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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Colorado on
Q: What form is needed to fund a living trust with real estate
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answered on Aug 29, 2024

A deed is used to transfer real property to a living trust. The deed must be recorded in the land records of the county in which the real property is located. There are several types of deeds. An attorney can help you prepare and record the right kind with the right claims for exemptions from... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning on
Q: I am an estate trustee (live in Ontario Canada)- how responsible am i to fulfill this obligation?

My sister died 3 years ago and left me as the trustee (QD Trust) funds for her daughter. I'm honoured she trusted me but...

My niece (31 years old) is on odsp (for disability) but is drug dependent and lives on the streets. I had her in an apartment and everything was taken care of... View More

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answered on Aug 28, 2024

Your situation is way to complicated for this free legal answers forum. You have more issues than you realize, not the least of which is your sister managed to create a foreign trust with special reporting requirements. You really need to hire an experienced trust administration attorney in the... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Georgia on
Q: A friend's father recently died while in hospice care at a nurse home . Before he died, someone took items from his home

The person in question had a key , and in front of two deputies, claimed she had some of her property in deceased's home.. and proceeded to fill three pick-up trucks with items removed from the home . Deceased has a will, yet to be addressed, isn't illegal to remove any items until any... View More

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answered on Sep 20, 2024

It is not illegal for a person to take property that belongs to him or her if that can be done without trespassing.

It is illegal, of course, for a person to steal from the estate, i.e. to take personal property that does not belong to him or her.

If this individual did steal from...
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3 Answers | Asked in Probate for Tennessee on
Q: I recently received a phone call from a lawyers office in California telling me my grandmother passed away

The lawyer told me I had to fill out paper work before they would disclose any info about the probate case. The paperwork turned out to be a bond waiver. Do I sign the waiver and how can I find out info on the case and the parties involved

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answered on Sep 8, 2024

You don’t HAVE to sign the bond waiver. If you trust the proposed executor then signing the bond waiver helps the case move along more quickly and cheaply meaning more money left over after expenses for heirs to inherit. But if you do not trust the proposed executor then you should not sign the... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Probate for North Carolina on
Q: My homeless brother was found dead in OK. I live in NC. Since he had no assets is probate required? He has a bank acct

Ally bank says according to OK laws, probate is required but from what I've been told, it's not necessary here in NC. He had no fixed residence- his address on the death cert says "transient", which the bank has a copy of. Ally won't allow me to close out his account, even... View More

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answered on Jun 18, 2024

If the value of the account is less than $50,000 you should be able to collect it using a small estate affidavit. The bank might even have their own form for that. If they don't a probate attorney in Oklahoma can help you with that.

1 Answer | Asked in Probate for Illinois on
Q: I am going through probate and have opened a bank account. My lawyer wants to control the checkbook. Is that usual?

I am administrator. I am responsible for what goes in and out of the bank account.

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answered on Jun 8, 2024

The lawyer is doing that to help keep you out of trouble. It means one less thing you have to worry about. You should take your attorney up on that generous offer.

I myself am seriously thinking about implementing such a requirement in my own practice because too many clients do not want...
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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Probate for Tennessee on
Q: Hi my dad has passed away he lived in Tennessee he he lived with a companion but there not married deed is on his name

Do I have rights to have deed changed in my name

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answered on Jun 2, 2024

The answer to your question is it depends on a lot of other things, but the bottom line is a probate attorney can help you with this. You should schedule consultation and be prepared to answer questions about whether he was still married to someone else, whether he had other children besides you,... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Washington on
Q: In Washington State, if a married couple sells their home & 1 partner dies, does the estate lose the stepped up basis?
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answered on Jun 1, 2024

It sounds like the sale occurred first, followed by the death. Accordingly, the capital gains tax will be calculated as of the date of sale. There will be no step in basis as of the subsequent death, because the property was already sold. Presumably the sale generated cash, and that cash is what... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for Texas on
Q: am I eligible for medicaid in texas with eligible SS income and resources, but also a testamentary trust ?

My SS retirement income and personal resources make me eligible, but there's also a 30 year old, irrevocable, testamentary, spendthrift trust from my father in which I am the beneficiary, and the trustee has full discretion regarding any disbursements .

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answered on May 28, 2024

As a general rule, the Social Security Administration takes the position that if a trust beneficiary does not have the legal authority to revoke or terminate a third party trust (a trust created by neither the beneficiary nor the beneficiary's spouse) or to direct the use of the trust assets... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Family Law for Tennessee on
Q: I need to know what I can do for a non relative undergoing conservatorship hearing

She is very capable of paying her bills, she pays all her bills herself with no help, she has investments and everything. They are saying she is incapable and already undergone the test, and been appointed a conservator but the hearing is the 28th. I'm not related, and her closest relatives... View More

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answered on May 27, 2024

You can call the court where the case is being heard and ask who has been appointed to serve as attorney ad litem to the respondent, or who has appeared as the respondent's private attorney (this is uncommon but theoretically possible). Then contact that attorney to offer your testimony.

2 Answers | Asked in Probate for Tennessee on
Q: i have grandparents who both passed and each left identical wills, with affidavits and attestation clauses signed by eac

there notirized by personal friend county clerk, tn. however no witness signatures. signed 2018 do i have legal will?

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answered on May 22, 2024

An attorney would need to actually see the wills in order to render an opinion as to validity, and ultimately the probate court decides whether a will is valid, but based upon what you stated, they are most likely not valid. In Tennessee, as in most other states, two witness signatures are... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Probate for Tennessee on
Q: Do I have to provide medical records to contest a will for Undue Influence and lack of testamentary capacity?

My grandmother passed in September of 2023. My aunt has attempted to get heirs to sign a quit claim deed of affidavit of heirship because the original will attorney left something out exempting heirs on the will when it was signed and notarized. The attorney who originally did this will is now... View More

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answered on May 20, 2024

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is not a do-it-yourself project. There is no quick and easy "form" or technique that I can point you to that you can fill out and file and do yourself. You are going to need to hire a probate litigation attorney to contest the will. Also do... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for West Virginia on
Q: What happens to funds from an inheritance check, made out to the principal of a POA, that was deposited into POA account

As my grandmother’s POA, If I opened a savings account, solely in my name,

(to be used for her medical expenses/personal care items)

& deposited an inheritance check made out in my grandmother’s name; what happens to the funds remaining in account after she passes?

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answered on May 19, 2024

I would caution you against depositing a check made payable to your grandmother into an account that is in your name. That will look very much like theft or conversion. And that is the case even if you really only do use the money for your grandmother’s benefit. It is very risky for you.... View More

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