Estate Planning

Managing the estate of a parent can be a challenge. It requires practical planning and emotional fortitude. Going through a lifetime's worth of assets and memories can be hard for a child grieving a loss. Needing to liquidate or sell property owned by a parent can be...

If you are creating an estate plan in South Dakota, you may find that there are some complications with your assets. Complex assets are among the many issues that can mean there is more to estate planning than simply creating a will. Owning oil, gas or mineral rights...

If you live in South Dakota, property that is held in your estate may be subject to the state's probate laws. However, there are a variety of strategies that might be available to ensure that your property is exempt from those laws. This may help to ensure that your...

The estate planning steps that you take while alive may make it possible to exert a greater level of control over your assets from the grave. For instance, creating a pour-over will ensures that items held in your South Dakota estate will be put into a trust instead...

Now that you've decided to write your estate plan, you're well on your way to protecting yourself and your loved ones in the event that you die or become incapacitated. However, there are still certain legal issues that might arise if you don't plan your estate...

Physicians in South Dakota may want to ensure that they have their estate plans in order. Dying without an estate plan might mean that the state determines what happens to a person's assets, and this can leave loved ones at a disadvantage. For example, an estate could...

You have likely heard about how time-consuming and costly probate can be in South Dakota. One of the reasons why probate can hold up the distribution of property is because people file a lawsuit. However, not everyone has the right to intervene in court during the...

An up-to-date estate plan is as necessary as the estate plan itself. As you prepare for the future, setting up an estate plan is crucial to ensure all your assets are handled after you pass. You can make sure you have a current estate plan with regular updates. With...

When preparing to go through the divorce process, parents in South Dakota may have a lot of questions regarding how their split will affect their time with their children. Will one parent get the kids full time? Will you and your soon-to-be ex be able to work out a...

As an estate planning attorney, I often meet with clients who tell me they "need" a revocable trust. When I ask why, the most common answer is because they heard Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman or some other television or radio personality state that everyone needs a...