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Estate Planning Posts

Tailored estate plans to protect your assets, honor your wishes, and secure your legacy with wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

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What Happens If I Don’t Have A Will?

February 20, 2025 | Jennifer Rossettini

In Virginia, statute controls who inherits if you don’t have a Will. If you have a spouse, and all of your children are with…

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Estate Planning Options for Pet Owners

February 19, 2025 | Jennifer Rossettini

If you are a pet parent, you will do just about anything to keep your furry friend safe and happy. Beyond just food and a wa…

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How Does Gray Divorce Affect Your Estate Planning?

February 19, 2025 | Jennifer Rossettini

Gray divorce refers to a divorce that happens later in life, often after the couple’s children are grown and gone. A gray di…

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Using Your Estate Plan to Foster Positivity

February 12, 2025 | Jennifer Rossettini

Many people avoid thinking about estate planning until much later in life because contemplating one’s later years and death…

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Will I Be Responsible For My Parents’ Debt After They Die?

February 5, 2025 | Jennifer Rossettini

Question – “I am an only child with two parents who don’t have a lot of money and have a fair amount of debt. They don’t hav…

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What is a Dynasty Trust and Why Should You Consider One?

January 24, 2025 | Jennifer Rossettini

Several estate planning tools can be useful for different objectives, and it can be helpful to be familiar with the various…

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Have You Thought About How Your Children Will Divide Household Items?

January 22, 2025 | Jennifer Rossettini

Estate planning can feel like a heavy topic, but by thinking ahead for your family, you are doing them a tremendous service…

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What Is a Survivor’s Trust and How Does it Work?

October 8, 2024 | Jennifer Rossettini

Married couples often use joint trusts to shelter assets from probate or potential estate taxes while ensuring the surviving…

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Understanding Taxes Related to Estate Administration

January 4, 2024 | Jennifer Rossettini

Clients are frequently concerned about large taxes being assessed against an inheritance that their children receive. The…

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Special Needs Planning is More than Just a Trust

August 29, 2023 | Jennifer Rossettini

When you discuss special needs planning, there is a lot of talk about special needs trust; however, a trust is just one too…

What is Legal Guardianship

What is Legal Guardianship?

August 18, 2023 | Jennifer Rossettini

Guardianship is a legal arrangement in which an adult is appointed to manage the affairs of another adult because they are i…

What does Undivided Real Estate mean

What Does Undivided Real Estate Mean?

August 17, 2023 | Jennifer Rossettini

Undivided real estate is the term used when two or more individuals have an interest in a property under the same title. The…

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What is a Revocable Living Trust in Virginia?

August 16, 2023 | Jennifer Rossettini

A revocable living trust is a trust document created by an individual that has the ability to be changed over time. This typ…

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Do You Need an Estate Plan?

August 10, 2023 | Jennifer Rossettini

In Virginia, an estate is considered to be all of an individual’s belongings, such as real estate assets, bank accounts, and…

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What is the Difference Between a Will and a Trust?

August 9, 2023 | Jennifer Rossettini

Both a will and a trust are excellent tools used in estate planning that can ensure that personal assets are managed accordi…

Estate Planning – When to Update Your Plan and Why

June 2, 2023 | Jennifer Rossettini

Identity Theft is Evolving Identity thieves continue to find new ways to commit fraud and their methods are becoming more di…

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6 Surprising Difficulties You May Face as an Executor of a Will

November 17, 2022 | Jennifer Rossettini

The legal process of probate can be very lengthy and time-consuming for an executor of a will, and there are likely mo…

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Why Everyone Needs an Estate Plan and Why It Probably Should Involve a Trust

August 10, 2022 | Jennifer Rossettini

We all know that you can’t take it with you, but too many people have not taken the time to properly consider an appropria…

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Estate Planning 101

June 2, 2022 | Jennifer Rossettini

“… in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” – Benjamin Franklin. Estate Planning. Mayb…

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Getting Started On Your Will And Where To Keep Your Will

June 17, 2020 | Jennifer Rossettini

Getting Started on Your Will In order to assist you with your estate planning, your estate planni…

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Estate size doesn’t matter — VA attorneys ensure security.

November 4, 2019 | Jennifer Rossettini

The Size Of Your Estate Doesn’t Matter – Our Experienced Virginia Attorneys Can Provide Security For You & Your Family…

Our Experienced Virginia Attorney Discusses What Happens to Credit Card Debt After You Die

September 23, 2019 | Shelly F. Wood

What Happens to Your Credit Card Debt When You Die? Recently we answered a question in our weekly Ask an Attorney that aske…

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Are You Considering Your Digital Assets in the Estate Planning Process?

September 9, 2019 | Jennifer Rossettini

More and more of our lives are being stored in digital spaces, and while digital natives may be relatively comfortable wit…

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Five Common Estate Planning Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

July 22, 2019 | Jennifer Rossettini

The Importance of an Estate Plan Ensuring that your estate is in order and that the transfer of assets goes according to…

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Updating Your Will Is As Important As Writing One, Here’s Why

June 21, 2019 | Jennifer Rossettini

Ensure Your Will Is Up To Date Everyone should have a Will, but it is equally important to adjust your Will to keep…