The process of getting divorced is never easy, even if you are the party initiating the divorce. If you don’t want a divorce, the entire process can be even more painful. If you have recently been served with a Complaint for Divorce and Summons, however, it is imperative that you read through the documents and respond to them within the time frame allotted by law. Ignoring the Complaint will not stop the divorce from happening. Instead, if you don’t respond to the divorce Complaint in South … [Read more...] about What If I Don’t Respond to the Divorce Complaint in South Carolina?
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Celebrate “ Responsible Pet Owner’s Month ” by Creating a Pet Trust
To say that Americans love their pets would be an understatement. In the United States, three out of every five households has at least one dog or cat. Collectively, that means that we own about 80 million dogs and cats in the U.S. – and that figure doesn’t take into account other types of pets such as birds, rabbits, reptiles, and the numerous other critters people keep as pets. As a way to remind people of the importance of caring for their pets, February is designated as “ Responsible Pet … [Read more...] about Celebrate “ Responsible Pet Owner’s Month ” by Creating a Pet Trust
How Is Adoption Different than Other Types of Custody Such as Guardianship or Custody?
If you are the parent or caregiver of a minor child you undoubtedly feel as though your relationship with the child exists because of the love you have for the child without regard for your legal status. In the United States, however, your legal standing with regard to your custodial relationship with a child does matter for a number of reasons. If you are raising a child that is not your biological child, therefore, it is important that you establish some type of legal custody over the child. … [Read more...] about How Is Adoption Different than Other Types of Custody Such as Guardianship or Custody?
Should I Have a South Carolina Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care?
When you finally sit down to create your estate plan you will be faced with a number of difficult, yet important, decisions. Although many of those decisions will relate to the disposition of assets upon your death, not all of them will. For example, you may find yourself wondering “ Should I have a South Carolina durable power of attorney for health care in my estate plan? ” In order to make that decision you need to know what a durable power of attorney for health care is and how one is … [Read more...] about Should I Have a South Carolina Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care?
What Is a Special Needs Trust?
If you are the parent, grandparent, or caregiver of a special needs child care must be taken when including your special needs child in your estate plan. Simply gifting assets to your child, however well intentioned, could cause more problems than it will solve. At the same time, providing for a special needs loved one in your estate plan is typically even more important than providing for other loved ones. One way to ensure that your special needs child is provided for in your estate plan … [Read more...] about What Is a Special Needs Trust?
Can Probate Be Avoided?
Probate is the legal process that follows the death of an estate owner. One purpose of probate is to ensure that all your assets are identified and eventually disbursed to your intended beneficiaries or heirs. The probate process, however, can be lengthy and costly, leading to the question “ Can probate be avoided? ” With careful estate planning, it is possible to dramatically decrease, if not completely eliminate, your estate’s exposure to probate after your death. When you die, all of your … [Read more...] about Can Probate Be Avoided?
What Is a Power of Attorney?
Although every estate plan is unique to the individual creating the plan there are some strategies and tools that are commonly used when creating an estate plan. A “ power of attorney ” is one of those tools. When used properly a power of attorney, or POA, can be a useful addition to any estate plan. Before you execute a POA though it is imperative that you have a thorough understanding of what a power of attorney is, the authority is can convey, and the different types of POAs that can be … [Read more...] about What Is a Power of Attorney?
How Can I Leave My Estate to My Spouse Tax-Free?
The primary purpose of most estate plans is to provide for loved ones after the death of the individual creating the plan. Like most people, however, you will likely include additional objectives and considerations in your estate plan as well when you create yours. For example, tax avoidance is a common consideration when creating an estate plan. If you are married, therefore, you may wish to know “ How can I leave my estate to my spouse tax-free? ” The reason tax avoidance is a common … [Read more...] about How Can I Leave My Estate to My Spouse Tax-Free?
What Is a Living Will in South Carolina?
Like many people, you may have very strong opinions about medical treatment, particularly as it pertains to end of life treatment decisions. After all, we all make thousands of seemingly unimportant decisions on a daily basis so it only seems fair to be able to make important life and death decisions regarding your medical care and treatment right? What happens though if you are incapacitated and unable to tell healthcare providers what your wishes are regarding treatment? The solution is to … [Read more...] about What Is a Living Will in South Carolina?
What Is the Difference between a General and Limited Power of Attorney?
Most people, at some point in their life, execute a power of attorney. A power of attorney is an extremely useful, and flexible, legal document that can be used to accomplish a variety of estate planning objectives. While a power of attorney can be a beneficial addition to your estate plan, it is imperative that you have a clear understanding of what you are signing and the power your signature confers on the Agent. In addition, you need to know the difference between a general and a limited … [Read more...] about What Is the Difference between a General and Limited Power of Attorney?
