By Attorney Jennifer Kahl September 24, 2019 What does it mean to “do your estate planning?” What does it mean to “do your estate planning?” Many people have this on their to-do list, but are unsure of what it actually means. In short, “estate planning” refers to the...
By Attorney Jennifer Kahl September 19, 2019 (Updated July 8, 2021) Many people are concerned about the potential of the “estate tax.” However, the vast majority of estates will not owe any estate tax. The Unified Tax Credit The Unified Tax Credit is the amount that...
Helpful Into -- Beware of Scams! By Attorney Robert T. Brooks August 21, 2019 In the last 2 days I have personally received mail from a scam group and had two clients tell me about scam phone calls they have received. In today’s world you must be suspicious of...
Virginia Probate -- Shortcuts for Small Estates By Attorney Jennifer Kahl, August 19, 2019 (Updated July 8, 2021) When a person dies, the first step in the administration of the estate is to calculate the probate estate. Depending on the size of the probate estate,...
Estate Planning - How do Advanced Medical Directive Play Out in "Real Life"? BY ATTORNEY SUSAN I. JEAN August 16, 2019 When discussing medical decision-making, I often explain to clients that there are situations where the legal answer is not the way things actually...
Virginia Probate - Inheriting Real Estate By Attorney Jennifer Kahl, August 12, 2019 (updated July 8, 2021) What happens to real estate in Virginia when someone dies? It depends on how the real estate was titled and whether the person had a will. The titling of real...
Estate Planning - Why am I Left in the Waiting Room? BY ATTORNEY SUSAN I. JEAN July 19, 2019 It is common for family members to accompany their loved one to a legal consultation. Attorneys are scary (no, not really), the situation is concerning, you want to be sure...
Virginia Probate -- The Laws of Intestacy By Attorney Jennifer Kahl, July 16, 2019 (updated July 8, 2021) What happens when a person dies without a Last Will and Testament? This is called dying “intestate.” The distribution of these estates is governed by the...
Virginia Probate - Do I have to Refinance the House When the Owner Dies? By Attorney Jennifer Kahl, July 9, 2019 If you have inherited real estate from a person who died, you may be wondering if you have to refinance the mortgage. Often, the mortgager will lead you to...
Estate Planning - Selecting your Fiduciary By Attorney Robert T. Brooks July 3, 2019 Who should manage your funds? The answer is simple… it should be you or a responsible individual/entity of your choosing. I recently drafted a Trust and other estate planning...