7 do’s and don’ts of Home Buying

7 do’s and don’ts of Home Buying

Veteran homeowners know all the intense feelings that come along with buying a house. When I was purchasing my first house with my husband, we were elated — we were also the “take my money now” kind of homebuyers who used our hearts instead of our heads. Because of...
How to Settle an Estate

How to Settle an Estate

You don’t have to be rich to have an estate. One of the great equalizers in life is that one day…we will all have estates. Often defined simply as all the money and property of the decedent, real-life estates can get more complicated. The central document to any...
Judith Heft & Associates, Executor Assistants

Judith Heft & Associates, Executor Assistants

When someone is named executor of a will, it comes with a lot of responsibility.  First, they must put the interests of the estate before their own interests — this is called acting as a fiduciary. If any litigation takes place (like a will contest), it’s the...
Set a Reminder: Update Your Will!

Set a Reminder: Update Your Will!

The number one reason I hear people say that they don’t have a will is because they can’t agree on who should be the guardian(s) of their young children. Regardless of the reason, people without wills are at risk of having their estate divided according to...
No, really. You need a will.

No, really. You need a will.

Planning an estate can be unpleasant to think about — going over worst-case scenarios is usually something reserved for nightmares, not something you would consciously attend a meeting to discuss. In my experience, the most common reason parents don’t get wills is...