In the past few years, there have been enough economic ups and downs to fill a theme park. Planning your future finances when so much in the present seems up for grabs may seem like a second tier priority, but the earlier you consider estate planning, the better...
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Ridgewood Estate Planning Blog
The Importance of Estate Planning for Parents with Small Children
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jul 16, 2010 | Estate Planning
For young parents with small children, or maybe a first child on the way, estate planning is likely the last item on the agenda. The need for writing a will is low. Everyone is healthy, the job is stable, the weather is nice and the grass is green. In a perfect world,...
Setting Up a Trust – Asset Protection and More
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jul 15, 2010 | Asset Protection
First things first - a trust is a very specific relationship in which one individual, the settlor, who entrusts the management of property and/or additional assets to another individual, known as the trustee.For example, say there is a boy who lives with his...
DIY Estate Planning – What You Miss Out On
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jul 9, 2010 | Estate Planning
Plenty of legal shortcuts have popped up on the Internet in recent years, promoting the benefits of bypassing professional lawyers and opting for DIY legal procedures. One of the biggest markets is, ironically, one of the last most people should be doing themselves....
Estate Planning – Protecting Your Small Business
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jul 7, 2010 | Estate Planning
Estate planning is about more than leaving your belongings to loved ones; it is also about protecting the things you own for future generations. Nowhere is this more evident than in the case of small business owners seeking to keep the business in the family or...
Estate Planning – Protecting Your Future First
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jul 2, 2010 | Estate Planning
More often than not, estate planning is looked at as a way to ease the transition of an individual's assets to the custody of friends and loved ones. This is, indeed, what estate planning can and should be used for, but should it be the first priority of the...
The Battle for Gary Coleman’s Estate is On
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jun 30, 2010 | Probate
The drama surrounding Gary Coleman's death is beginning to look like a mere taste of the main event, which is building up around the late actor's estate and allegations of coercion in the drafting of a new will. The main point of contention is Coleman's estate plan,...
Probate – Avoidable, but Not Always
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jun 25, 2010 | Probate
When an individual passes away, his or her estate may go into probate, a process by which outstanding claims are resolved and that individual's property is divided according to a will. In the probate process, which is overseen by the court, the will may be examined to...
The Fight Over Dennis Hopper’s Estate – The Importance of Detailed Planning
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jun 24, 2010 | Estate Planning, Probate
The fight for Dennis Hopper's $40 million estate is in full swing and started, many noted, before the actor was even buried. The probate battle centers on Hopper's eldest daughter, Marin, and his estranged wife, Victoria Duffy. Galen Hopper, the actor's seven-year-old...
Advance Directives – For Yourself and Your Family
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Jun 18, 2010 | Estate Planning
Advance Healthcare Directives are a very important, yet often overlooked, step in planning for your future. Especially for the elderly and those with serious diseases, an advance healthcare directive can give both you and your loved ones peace of mind. If you are...