Your personal property is just, well, property. That means that if your will says (paraphrasing) "I leave all my stuff to my mother" that will include those personal effects. But consider what will actually happen to your furniture,

Your estate plan usually includes a will, a health care power of attorney and a financial power of attorney. It might also include at least one trust -- perhaps more if you have a child with special needs, or a complicated financial situation.

We've written -- and talked -- about different types of special needs trusts over the past week. One term that we frequently hear is about "supplemental benefits" trusts. Are they same thing as special needs trusts?

There are different types of special needs trusts. That should not be surprising -- but the effect sometimes is. Besides that, the differences can generate plenty of confusion. - Host Robert Fleming and guest Elizabeth Noble Rollings Friman,

In earlier podcasts, we have discussed why you might want to create an irrevocable estate plan, and how you might go about it. This time our focus is different: can you modify your irrevocable estate plan? -

You might want to make your estate plan irrevocable. Why? We discussed that in last week's podcast. It might be because you want to make sure your spouse can't change things after your death. Perhaps you don't trust yourself not to be swayed by hopeful...

Our clients often ask about making their estate plans irrevocable. Before we describe steps we might recommend, we want to understand why you think it's important. - In this podcast session, we discuss the reasons clients tell us they want an irrevoca...

Suppose you have been appointed as your mother's guardian in the Arizona courts. Now you (and your mother) will be moving to another state. Is there such a thing as an interstate guardianship? Can you transfer your Arizona guardianship to the new state...

In our Elder Law Issues newsletter this week, we described a bankruptcy court case involving a Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) account. Arizona has also adopted the uniform law, and Arizona UTMA accounts would likely be treated in the same way.

Do you enjoy do-it-yourself projects? How about your estate planning? - Can't you just write your own will? How about online trust forms? And wouldn't it be cheaper if you just prepared your estate planning documents and then paid a lawyer to review t...