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Estate Planning Attorney

COVID-19 Funeral Reimbursement

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Did you know that you can be reimbursed for the funeral expenses of a lost loved one that passed from COVID-19? COVID-19 has affected the lives of many Americans and their families, reimbursement of funeral costs is a little way to ease the grief of losing a loved one from this pandemic.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has started a program to reimburse those families that have lost someone due to the coronavirus. The application process starts April 12, 2021 and currently does not have an end date. To qualify you must meet the following requirements:

• The death must have occurred in the United States, this includes U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia
• The death certificate must indicate that the death was attributed to COVID-19
• The applicant must be a United States citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020
• There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a United States citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien

Additionally, the following documentation should be gathered and kept for submission:
• An official death certificate – that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, U.S. Territories, or District of Columbia
• Funeral expenses documents – (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of the funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened
• Proof of funds received from other sources – specifically for use toward funeral costs. We are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources
If approved, you will receive your funeral assistance through a check by mail or direct deposit, depending on the option you choose when applying for assistance.

Unfortunately, there are some people who cannot apply for assistance if they fall under one of the following categories:
• A minor child cannot apply on behalf of an adult who is not a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified agent
• There are several categories of aliens that are lawfully present in the United States, but do not qualify for FEMA’s Individual and Households Program assistance, including this funeral assistance program. These include, but are not limited to:
o Temporary tourist visa holders
o Foreign students
o Temporary work visa holders
o Habitual residents such as citizens of the Federal States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Please keep in mind there is no online application, this is through the FEMA funeral assistance hotline 844-684-6333. Once your application has been submitted via phone, you will be provided an application number and will need to submit your supporting documents (death certificate, funeral expense receipts, etc.). The supporting documents can be submitted the following ways:
• Upload documents to your DisasterAssitance.gov account
• Fax Documents
• Mail Documents

If you were responsible for the funeral expenses of more than one person lost to coronavirus you may claim each funeral on your application. The limits for assistance are up to $9,000 per funeral and up to $35,500 per application per state, territory, or District of Columbia.

This is a great program for families looking for assistance in the unexpected death of a loved one caused by COVID-19. For more information, please visit the link below. To schedule and appointment with one of our estate planning attorneys, contact Baron Law at 216-573-3723

Sources:
https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance#eligible

Probate Attorney

Top Reasons Why You Should Avoid Probate

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Whether it was a gathering for a joyous wedding or the passing of a loved one, we’ve all heard about Probate Court at some point or another. We are going to dive into what probate is and why you want to avoid it when it comes to your estate, if you have no plan.

First, what is probate? Probate is the legal process of administering a person’s estate after their death. You’re probably wondering “OK, but what does that mean?” It means:

The court will determine your assets at the time of your death.

The court will determine the value of those assets.

The court will distribute the assets to those that are entitled to them by law.

Probate court, during the process will also appoint someone to supervise the administration of your estate.

Why would I want to avoid this process? The main reasons to avoid probate are the extensive timeline and astronomical expense that are both required for probate. The minimum amount of time that is required by probate court is 6 months, but in actuality this process takes 14 – 18 months on average. The reason for this extensive timeline is to give creditors a chance to make a claim on your estate, this in turn reduces the inheritance intended for your loved ones.

The probate process is very expensive. The average cost for probate court is between 5 – 10% of the estate’s total value. This means if your estate is valued at $500,000 you can expect an average cost of between $25,000 – $50,000.

The probate court appoints someone that they deem “suitable” to administer your estate, if you have no plan. This means that your wishes will not be heard and your assets, including your personal property and belongings will be distributed by the court to whom is legally entitled.

Lastly, probate court is public record. This means that all of your assets, your heirs, and your debts are available for anyone to see. Privacy is something that should be valued during this sensitive period of bereavement.

This costly and lengthy process can be avoided with a proper estate plan put in place. Your assets should be distributed according to your wishes, not to who is just legally entitled to them. Your heirs should have the ability to access the inheritance you intend on leaving them, and your loved ones deserve the privacy and time it takes to mourn your loss.

If you have not previously considered an estate plan or have questions about how to get started on planning, contact us at Baron Law today. You can go to our website for a free consultation to start planning for the future for yourself and your loved ones.

 Helping You And Your Loved Ones Plan For The Future

 

About the author: Kristy Gross

Kristy is a Legal Assistant at Baron Law LLC kristy@baronlawcleveland.com.

Trust Adminstrator

What is an Administrator of an Estate?

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Managing the affairs and obligation of a recently departed is no easy task. That is why most people take the time to plan their estate. Estate planning, at its fundamental essence, is leaving a plan and instructions for those who survive you regarding what to do with the “stuff” you leave behind. People are living longer than ever before and, consequently, are leaving more behind. Often without a proper plan in place, the loved ones and family members left to organize and account all the leftover worldly possessions are hard pressed to do everything required from them by a probate court within the statutory time limits.

Dying without a will, only exacerbates this difficultly and lengthens the time it takes to administrator an estate. Bluntly, dying without a will, or dying with an invalid will, is never a preferential option. Most people already have a very limited understanding of the probate process, and if you throw intestate succession and administration, with all the accompanying issues and legal winkles, a difficult and trying process only becomes more so. As such, consult with an experienced Ohio estate planning attorney to either properly plan your estate so dying intestate doesn’t happen to you or, for those facing an instate administration, find out all the answers you need regarding what, how, and when to administrate an intestate estate.

What does dying intestate mean?

When a decedent does not have a valid will in existence at the time of death, a decedent is deemed to have died intestate and Ohio intestacy laws govern how estate assets are managed and distributed. There are two primary situations when a person is deemed to have died intestate, 1) there was no last will and testament, or 2) they had a last will and testament, but for some reason or another, it was found invalid.

Ohio intestacy laws may be avoided altogether with proper estate planning, a major aim of which is to ensure you have a will and that it is valid. It is important to note, however, that sometimes intestacy laws will control even if a valid will is subject to probate administration, an experienced estate planning attorney can inform you of these circumstances. Conversely, sometimes Ohio intestacy laws may not apply even if a decedent died intestate. As such, since the controlling law for dying without a last will and testament can vary dependent on circumstance, meeting with an estate planning and/or probate lawyer is highly recommended.

What is an administrator?

In the context of intestate estate administration, an administrator is, for the most part, functionally identical to an executor. Executors, however, are appointed in the last will and testament by the decedent while administrators are appointed by the probate court in the absence of an executor appointment. Note, however, that Ohio has explicit Ohio residency requirements for intestate administrators. Thus, out-of-state residents can only be named executors and cannot serve as administrators.

Why is an administrator needed, what do they do?

The duties of an administrator aren’t easy. The duties of an administrator are specific to each particular estate, however, there is a “core” group of duties and tasks each one must fulfill. Every administrator must:

  • Conduct of thorough search of decedent’s personal papers and attempt to create a complete picture of their finances and family structure.

 

  • Take possession, catalogue, and value all estate property.

 

  • Maintain and protect estate assets for the duration of the probate proceedings.

 

  • Directly notify creditors, debtors, financial institutions, utilities, and government agencies of decedent’s death.

 

  • Publish notices of decedent’s death, usually a newspaper obituary, which serves as notice and starts the clock running on the statute of limitations for creditor claims on the estate.

 

  • Pay or satisfy any outstanding debts or obligations of decedent.

 

  • Represent decedent during probate court proceedings.

 

  • Locate heirs and named beneficiaries and distribute respective assets at the appropriate time.

These duties occur during the probate process, which is a major reason why probate takes many months to complete. Especially within the context of intestate probate administration, where no preplanning, accounting, or collection of information regarding the decedent’s estate was likely done.

Because intestate administration is such a time-intensive and laborious process, many people take the time to plan their estate and attempt to avoid probate entirely. Often trusts are a good option to avoid probate. With trusts, estate assets can be distributed right away, no executor or administrator is needed, and many mornings, which otherwise would be spent in probate court, are freed for personal enjoyment. Contact an Ohio trust attorney to see if avoiding probate through the use of trusts is right for you and your family.

Disclaimer:

The information contained herein is general in nature, is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. The author nor Baron Law LLC cannot and does not guarantee that such information is accurate, complete, or timely. Laws of a particular state or laws that may be applicable in a given situation may impact the applicability, accuracy, or completeness of the preceding information. Further, federal and state laws and regulations are complex and subject to change. Changes in such laws often have material impact on estate planning and tax forecasts. As such, the author and Baron Law LLC make no warranties regarding the herein information or any results arising from its use. Furthermore, the author and Baron Law LLC disclaim any liability arising out of your use of, or any financial position taken in reliance on, such information. As always consult an attorney regarding your specific legal or tax situation.

Helping You and Your Loved Ones Plan for the Future

living trusts and estate planning

Ohio Irrevocable Trusts

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What is an Irrevocable Trust?

Irrevocable trusts cannot be changed or terminated during the grantor’s lifetime without all the beneficiaries’ permission or court approval. The grantor relinquishes control over the trust and the assets placed in the trust.

Revocable Trusts Vs. Irrevocable Trusts

Revocable trusts can be changed or terminated during the grantor’s lifetime as long as they are competent. This type of trust is attractive, compared to an irrevocable trust, because you can update your beneficiaries, change which assets are included in the trust, and update how assets will be distributed.

Learn more about the key similarities and differences of revocable and irrevocable trusts here.

Irrevocable Living Trusts Vs. Testamentary Trusts

An irrevocable living trust is created during your lifetime and goes into effect immediately (once properly funded). A testamentary trust is created within your will and goes into effect when you pass. While the living trust avoids probate, the testamentary trust does not.

Why should I set up an Irrevocable Trust?

An irrevocable trust can:

  • Protect your assets from creditors and litigation, which might be especially beneficial if you are a business owner or are in a high-profile career
  • Protect your access to government benefits and preserve your family’s wealth for future generations
  • Help you avoid or reduce estate taxes
  • Protect your assets from a nursing home or other long-term care expenses

More Specific Types of Irrevocable Trusts & How They Work

Asset Protection Trusts

The main goal of an asset protection trust is to insulate the grantor’s assets from creditors and/or litigation.

Marital Trusts

A Marital Trust, also known as an A Trust, is established to support a surviving spouse. It helps the surviving spouse to avoid estate taxes when the first spouse passes away and their assets are being transferred.

The surviving spouse is the sole beneficiary of the Marital Trust during the couple’s lifetime. He or she can do what they please with the assets, including withdrawing them, selling them or gifting them. At the second spouse’s death, the trust can be passed to other named beneficiaries such as children or grandchildren.

Most A Trusts are also Qualified Terminable Interest Property (QTIP) Trusts. In this case, the trust is required to pay all income generated by the trust to the surviving spouse annually. In addition, with a QTIP Trust, the grantor maintains control after death. This means that the surviving spouse receives income from the trust, but restrictions are placed on how much can be taken out of the trust, and what the funds are used for.

In many cases, when a spouse sets up an A Trust, they also set up a B Trust, or a Bypass Trust. When the first spouse passes, they can have assets passed to beneficiaries other than the surviving spouse without incurring estate taxes. They transfer the maximum amount of assets allowed by estate tax exemption to beneficiaries before transferring the remainder of the estate into the A Trust.
Together, the Marital Trust (A Trust) and Bypass Trust (B Trust) make up the AB Trust.

Generation-Skipping Trusts

Generation-Skipping trusts are often utilized by grandparents to transfer assets to their grandchildren, while avoiding estate taxes.

Spendthrift Trusts

Spendthrift trusts are often utilized when a beneficiary is young or has a history of being financially irresponsible. In a spendthrift trust, the beneficiaries do not have any direct access to assets. The trustee is able to give the beneficiaries assets and funds as they see fit.

Charitable Trusts

Charitable Trusts are established to benefit a charitable organization. In this type of trust, an organization is appointed trustee. As they invest funds within the trust, they can generate a regular stream of income for the organization. There are two main types of Charitable Trusts:

  • Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRT) give a set amount of income to beneficiaries, and the remainder goes to the charitable organization.
  • Charitable Lead Trusts (CLT) give a set amount of income to the charitable organization, and the remainder goes to beneficiaries or stays in the trust.

Life Insurance Trusts

The only asset within this trust is an insurance policy. This trust is utilized to avoid estate tax on money that comes out of the policy upon the grantor’s passing.

Grantor-Retained Annuity Trusts (GRAT)

This type of trust is typically utilized in estate planning to minimize taxes on large financial gifts to family members. After assets are placed in the trust, an annuity is paid out to the grantor every year. After the trust has expired and the last annuity payment has been made, the beneficiary receives the remaining assets with minimal tax liability.

Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRT)

A QPRT allows the grantor to remove a personal home from their estate, reducing the amount of gift tax incurred when transferring assets to beneficiaries. The owner of the home is allowed to remain on the property for a period of time with retained interest. The value of the property during the retained interest period is calculated based on IRS applicable federal rates. Once the retained interest period is over, the remaining interest is transferred to the beneficiaries.

How To Set Up An Irrevocable Trust With An Attorney

It’s important to remember that an irrevocable trust is just one part of a comprehensive estate plan.

After it has been determined that an irrevocable trust should be part of your estate plan, an attorney can walk you through these key steps:

  1. Decide what assets will be placed in your trust. While you might already have an idea of what you’d like to include, your attorney may help you uncover some additional assets that would benefit from being placed in a trust. Assets can range from cash and investments to real estate and other property.
  2. Choose your beneficiaries. They might include your spouse, your children, grandchildren or other close family members.
  3. Establish the rules of your trust. For example, will assets be distributed with age requirements or terms for how the assets may be used?
  4. Determine who will manage the trust.

Once you are confident in these decisions, your estate planning attorney can draft the trust document and begin assisting you with funding the trust.

This blog is for educational purposes only; it is not intended to provide legal advice. If you’re planning for your estate and want to speak with an attorney, call 216-573-3723.

 

Daniel A Baron Estate Planning lawyer

What Is A Revocable Trust?

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Cleveland, Ohio estate planning lawyer, Daniel A. Baron, offers the following information as to whether or not you should have a Revocable Trust as part of your comprehensive estate planning.

When you decide it is time to do your estate planning, one decision to make is: Do I Need A Trust? If the answer is yes, then the next question is whether or not a Revocable or Irrevocable Trust is the right tool to use in your Comprehensive Estate Planning.  Although both of these are created to avoid probate, there are differences between the two.

A Revocable Trust means you can change things at any time such as;

  • Beneficiaries
  • Add items of value to the trust or remove items from the trust and so on.
  • Changing Trustees
  • Change what funds the trust
  • Eliminate the trust
  • Change amounts to be funded
  • Add Trustees

With a Revocable Trust – the Grantor or Settlor creates the trust AND can also act as the Trustee AND can be named as the beneficiary.

An Irrevocable Trust means no changes can be made (with a few exceptions) once the trust is created.

An Irrevocable Trust has three parties to the Trust; the Grantor or Settlor, the Trustee(s), and the beneficiary or beneficiaries.

  1. The Grantor or Settlor is the person who funds or establishes the Trust
  2. The Trustee is the person who oversees the trust, and
  3. The beneficiary reaps the rewards of the income generated by the investments of the trust. Although the Grantor / Settlor and the beneficiary can be the same, they cannot act as the Trustee

With a Revocable Trust you must remember if you are looking to keep investments, bank accounts, property, and any other such asset as part of the trust, the accounts must be set up in the trusts name and property must be titled to the trust.  Failure to do this while you are still living means that the assets still in your personal name at the time of your death will be subject to probate and a larger amount of estate taxes.

If you are having difficulty determining whether your situation calls for a Revocable or Irrevocable Trust, seek the advice of an experienced Estate Planning Lawyer. For more information on reviewing your goals for your Comprehensive Estate Planning, contact Daniel A. Baron of Baron Law today at 216-573-3723.

Helping You and Your Loved Ones Plan for the Future

Baron Law Elder Care Attorney

Trustees – Part II: Duty To Keep Adequate Records

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Baron Law LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, offers information for you to reflect upon while you are setting out looking for an estate planning attorney to help protect as much of your assets as you can.   For more comprehensive information contact Baron Law Cleveland to draft your comprehensive estate plan to endeavor to keep more of your assets […]

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Daniel A Baron - Baron Law Cleveland

Dying Without A Will – A Mess for Your Family To Clean-up

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Baron Law LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, offers information for you to reflect upon while you are setting out looking for an estate planning attorney to help protect as much of your assets as you can. For more comprehensive information contact Baron Law Cleveland to draft your comprehensive estate plan to endeavor to keep more of your assets for your heirs and not hand them over to the government by way of taxes.

No one likes it think about death, and even less people actively prepare for its inevitable occurrence. With everything that makes up life, job, family, recreation, there aren’t enough hours in the day to do what we need to do or want to do, let alone do what we despise. Thinking about death and how life will continue on regardless of whether we are here or not isn’t a fun concept people like to dwell on. Estate planning, or lack thereof, has tremendous consequences for surviving friends and family. A proper estate plan can mean the kids get to go college and the surviving spouse gets to stay in the house and doesn’t have to get a second job. No estate plan means the martial home gets sold to pay off debts and necessities or the surviving kids blow through an investment portfolio shrewdly managed for 25 years in 6 months. A local Cleveland estate planning attorney can create a customized estate plan with supporting documents to ensure that your friends and family are in the best position when your gone and avoid familial infighting and asset waste.  

Apart from the absolute chaos and/or squandering of a lifetime of assets which may result from a lack of estate planning, what are the practical consequences of not having a will?  When a decedent does not have a valid will in existence at the time of death, a decedent is deemed to have died intestate and Ohio intestacy laws govern how estate assets are managed and distributed. Ohio intestacy laws may be avoided altogether with proper estate planning. It is important, however, to be familiar with these laws because they may apply for a variety of reasons in a variety of situations. Sometimes intestacy laws will control even if a valid will is subject to probate administration. Conversely, sometimes Ohio intestacy laws may not apply even if a decedent died intestate. As such, since the controlling law for dying without a will can be flexible, an estate planning and/or probate lawyer is highly recommended.  

One example where intestacy laws are inapplicable even if decedent died without a valid will is where the estate assets in question would not have been part of the decedent’s probate estate if the decedent had a will. An example of this situation is property that is owned jointly with right of survivorship. This type of ownership will pass to the surviving joint owner by operation of law irrespective to the terms of the decedent’s will or intestacy statutes. The same is true for bank accounts or other assets with valid payable on death (POD) or transfer on death (TOD) designations. Property that the decedent transferred to a trust during life will not typically become part of the decedent’s probate or intestate estate.   

The most common situation where intestate law applies is when a will is declared invalid by a probate court because it was not executed in accordance with the requirements under Ohio law. The same holds true if a will is set aside for other reasons, such as fraud in the execution. Further, even if a decedent’s will is found valid and is not set aside, there can be many circumstances where intestacy laws still apply. One such circumstance is that a will fails to dispose of all of the decedent’s property because it does not have a residuary clause. This outsight is becoming more common with the use of services like Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom. Ensuring that estate planning documents are properly executed, drafted, and filed is a major reason why estate planning attorneys are employed and retained. Doing it yourself may be cheaper in the short-term, but when it counts the most, self-drafted estate document all too often fail to make the grade.  

So, apart from not knowing whether intestacy laws will apply or not, what’s the big deal dying intestate?  

In a nutshell, dying intestate can have serious consequences for surviving friends and family and, most importantly, can affect the amount of  estate money and assets available, who those assets go to, and when those assets are distributed. First off, dying intestate means a decedent has very little, if any, direct control over who gets what and when. That is decided per the laws of intestacy. So, if you have two children, one is rich and doesn’t need any more money and the other has addiction issues and can’t be trusted, but you have a niece who just got accepted to Harvard but can’t afford it, too bad, you can’t help out your niece if you die intestate. Further, dying intestate means the court has to administrate the estate, which takse a lot longer than direct bequests in a will. Instead of potentially almost instantaneous transfer of money and assets, you likely have to wait at least six months to distribute estate assets. During this time, surviving friends and family are angry they haven’t gotten their share, the legal fees are running for the attorney, the fees are running for the estate administrator, and you’re paying taxes and upkeep on any estate assets that require such.  

Furthermore, subjecting an estate to intestate administration means creditors and litigants have almost free reign to bring claims against intestate assets. If an estate is properly planned and organized, there are ways to protect most if not all of an estate’s assets from these outside threats. As previously mentioned before, an intestate estate requires an administrator. This person is appointed by the probate court, it may be a family member, it may not be. Hopefully, they will be competent, responsible, and honest, but if an estate fiduciary isn’t proactively appointed, who know who’ll be appointed. Ohio law subjects estate fiduciaries to steep penalties for incompetence and misconduct, there is a reason for this. History is rife with examples of fiduciaries wasting or absconding with estate assets. After you’ve spent a lifetime working, saving, and building, why put it all in the hands of a strange or irresponsible or inexperienced family member. This is why Ohio estate attorneys exist, to help you protect a lifetime of labor and give to the people you love.  

Choosing to die intestate certainly is one way to do it but it is hardly the best way. Spending a little time to sit down with a probate attorney or estate planner will ensure that you’re proactively thinking about the future and putting your friends and family in the best possible situations and avoiding needless stress, confusion, and time waste. A last will and testament is the “core” of any estate plan. If you don’t have anything else, you must have a will. Simply put, its foolish not to even take this basic step.  

You don’t have to be rich to protect what you’ve spent a lifetime trying to build. To find out whether a trust is right for your family, take the one-minute questionnaire at www.DoIneedaTrust.com. There are a number of different trusts available and the choices are infinite. With every scenario, careful consideration of every trust planning strategy should be considered for the maximum asset protection and tax savings. For more information, you can contact Mike Benjamin of Baron Law LLC at 216-573-3723. Baron Law LLC is a Cleveland, Ohio area law firm focusing on estate planning and elder law. Mike can also be reached at mike@baronlawcleveland.com.  

 Helping You And Your Loved Ones Plan For The Future

About the author: Mike E. Benjamin, Esq.  

Mike is a contracted attorney at Baron Law LLC who specializes in civil litigation, estate planning, and probate law. He is a member of the Westshore Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association for the Northern District of Ohio. He can be reached at mike@baronlawcleveland.com.   

Disclaimer:

The information contained herein is general in nature, is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. The author nor Baron Law LLC cannot and does not guarantee that such information is accurate, complete, or timely. Laws of a particular state or laws that may be applicable in a given situation may impact the applicability, accuracy, or completeness of the preceding information. Further, federal and state laws and regulations are complex and subject to change. Changes in such laws often have material impact on estate planning and tax forecasts. As such, the author and Baron Law LLC make no warranties regarding the herein information or any results arising from its use. Furthermore, the author and Baron Law LLC disclaim any liability arising out of your use of, or any financial position taken in reliance on, such information. As always consult an attorney regarding your specific legal or tax situation.

 

Baron Law Cleveland Estate Planning Attorney

Spousal Rights – Are You Forced To Take What Is Bequeathed?

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Cleveland, Ohio, estate planning law firm, Baron Law LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, offers the following information on how to handle your spouses will after they pass.   Are you forced to take what is left to you?  Contact Baron Law Cleveland to answer this question and any other questions you may have on wills and probate.

 

Humans are material creatures, it’s just how we’re wired. We all like stuff, we all want stuff. The only difference between people is the target of that want and the severity of that desire. Though the passing of a friend, loved one, or spouse is a mournful event whose significance shouldn’t be understated. At the end of the day, the most common question I hear when a person comes into the office with a will of a recent decedent is, “what do I get?” More often than not, the next question after that is, “what else can I get?”  

Whether its due to genetics, environment, habits, or just dumb luck, women live, on average, seven years longer than men. So naturally, women are more often responsible for probating their husband’s will and receiving distributions under it. Regardless of sex, however, under Ohio law, surviving spouses are granted the ability to elect either 1) to receive the surviving spouse’s testamentary share as provided in the decedent’s will, “taking under a will;” or 2) to take against the will. This “taking against the will” is called an election to take under the law. Which option to take is a momentous decision that can affect the total windfall of the surviving spouse, the distributions to beneficiaries and heirs, and temperament of surviving friends and family. A local Cleveland estate attorney is in the best position to calculate the options and spell out the pros and cons of each.  

If the surviving spouse elects to take against the will, the surviving spouse receives either one-half or one-third of the decedent’s net estate. The surviving spouse receives one-half of the decedent’s net estate unless two or more of the decedent’s children or their lineal descendants survive the decedent, in which case the surviving spouse receives one-third.  

So how does one elect to “take against a will?” After the appointment of an executor or administrator, the probate court will issue a citation to the surviving spouse to elect whether to take under the will or against the will. This election must be made within the five-month statutory period or else be forever barred. If you chose to take against the will, you return the form attached to the notice and the court sets a hearing.   

At the hearing to elect to take against a will, the probate judge or deputy clerk, who acts as a referee, will explain the will, the rights under the will, and the rights, by law, in the event of a refusal to take under the will. If the surviving spouse is unable to make an election due to a legal disability, the court will appointment an appropriate proxy to determine if an election to take against the will is the best course of action for the surviving spouse and, if it’s the best course of action, make the actual election.  

Unless a will expressly states otherwise, an election against a will results in the balance of the net estate being disposed of as though the surviving spouse had predeceased the testator. Furthermore, unless a trust says otherwise, if a will transfers property to a trust created by the testator during the testator’s life, such as with a pour-over will, and the spouse elects against the will, then the surviving spouse is considered for purposes of the trust to have predeceased the testator, and there shall be an acceleration of remainder or other interests in all property bequeathed or devised to the trust by the will, in all property held by the trustee at the time of the death of the decedent, and in all property that comes into the possession or under the control of the trustee by reason of the death of the decedent. Again, an election to take against a will can have serious ramifications for a decedent’s estate plan. An Ohio estate planning attorney will be better able to spell out the consequences of such an election and track which estate assets may be effected by an election and in what ways. 

It is important to note, however, that an election to take against a will does not alter or destroy the will for other beneficiaries. Upon an election against a will, the administrator or executor of the estate must still attempt to follow the testator’s intent and final wishes to the best of the fiduciary’s ability as to all others in a will except the surviving spouse.   

The only real ways to waive or eliminate the statutory right of the surviving spouse to elect to take against a will is either a valid prenuptial agreement or antenuptial agreement. These agreements, however, are not guaranteed effective and are only valid if 1) they have been entered into freely without fraud, duress, coercion, or overreaching, 2) if there was a full disclosure, or full knowledge and understanding of the nature, value, and extent of the prospective spouse’s property, and 3) if the terms do not promote or encourage divorce or profiteering by divorce. With the recent rise of divorce rates in America nuptial agreements are steadily gaining in popularity and use. As such, consult an Ohio attorney to find out if nuptial agreements are right for you or if the nuptial agreements you already have are either valid or actually fulfilling their intended purpose.   

Spousal rights were created to ensure that surviving spouses aren’t maliciously or wrongfully cut out from a will. Improper disinheritance from a will can result in a surviving spouse falling into poverty, being kicked out of a lifelong martial home, or becoming a burden on friends and family. Though it may seem unseemly to focus on material possessions when a spouse passes, the responsibilities and burdens of day to day living still persist regardless. You still need food in the fridge and a roof over your head. After all, as Langston Hughes said, “life is for the living.”  

You don’t have to be rich to protect what you’ve spent a lifetime trying to build. To find out whether a trust is right for your family, take the one-minute questionnaire at www.DoIneedaTrust.com. There are a number of different trusts available and the choices are infinite. With every scenario, careful consideration of every trust planning strategy should be considered for the maximum asset protection and tax savings. For more information, you can contact Mike Benjamin of Baron Law LLC at 216-573-3723. Baron Law LLC is a Cleveland, Ohio area law firm focusing on estate planning and elder law. Mike can also be reached at mike@baronlawcleveland.com.  

 Helping You And Your Loved Ones Plan For The Future

About the author: Mike E. Benjamin, Esq.  

Mike is a contracted attorney at Baron Law LLC who specializes in civil litigation, estate planning, and probate law. He is a member of the Westshore Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association for the Northern District of Ohio. He can be reached at mike@baronlawcleveland.com.   

 

 

Baron Law Cleveland, Ohio

Procedures To Shorten Or Avoid Probate Of An Estate

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Cleveland, Ohio, estate planning lawyer, Daniel A. Baron, Ohio, offers the following information on what types of probate procedures shorten or avoid the need to probate and estate when speaking with your attorney when you are establishing your comprehensive estate plan.

When an individual dies, their “probate assets,” such as property not dispensed via beneficiary designations, transfer on death designations, or held within trust, go through probate.   

Probate is the legal process provided by Ohio law where a probate court “sets the table” to administer a decedent’s estate. Namely, the probate court appoints an authorized fiduciary for decedent’s estate, determines the validity of a will, if there was one, oversees the determination of probate assets of decedent, and ensures probate assets are collected, maintained, and distributed to the proper parties according to decedent’s last wishes or, if there was no will, according to the laws of Ohio.  

 Probate is not a straight-forward process and it takes, usually, at least six months to complete and close an estate. Therefore, the two most common questions clients of estate planning attorneys ask is, why does probate take so long and how can we shorten or avoid the probate process. There’s a handful a probate processes one can use, if the circumstances of the estate qualify, within the Ohio legal codes to shorten or avoid the need to administrate probate. The following are of the few most widely used accompanied by minor explanations. Naturally, a Cleveland estate planning attorney can provide more expansive elaboration on these processes and guide you towards the ones that are best suited for a particular situation.  

Filing Will for Record Only

 A Will can be filed with the probate court when no probate administration is expected or required for the estate. For this type of probate proceeding, no appointment of an executor is needed. The benefits of going this route is administration costs are totally avoided but since the Will was properly delivered to the court, federal estate tax returns can be filed and exemplified copies of the filed Will are obtainable for out-of-state probate proceedings. This process is often used when certified copies of a Will are needed for administrations of out-of-state property owned by Ohio residents.  

 Summary Release from Administration 

 A summary release from administration is the most abbreviated probate proceeding for obtaining a release of assets. Usually, this type is used for small estates, such as those with minor amounts of personal property or a small bank account to distribute. The most common situation where a person would go this route is to get reimbursement from the estate for funeral expenses. Again, no executor is appointed in this proceeding.  

 Ohio law, however, does limit which estates may use this type of probate proceeding. This process may only if used if either:   

 

  • If value of the assets of the decedent’s estate does not exceed the lesser of $5,000 or the amount of the decedent’s funeral and burial expenses, any person who is not a surviving spouse and who has paid or is obligated in writing to pay the decedent’s funeral and burial expenses, may apply to the probate court for an order granting a summary release from administration: or 

 

  • There is a surviving spouse, the decedent’s probate assets do not exceed $45,000, the spouse is entitled to 100 percent of the family allowance, and the funeral bill has been prepaid or the surviving spouse is obligated to pay the funeral bill.  

 Release from Administration 

 A release from administration is the next tier up in regards to available abbreviated probate proceedings for obtaining a release of estate assets. No executor is appointed for this proceeding but a commissioner might be used if the facts surrounding the estate are more complicated than anticipated or if a determination of decedent’s ownership rights is necessary. 

 For this proceeding, the applicant certifies the nature and value of the probate assets to the court and the identity of decedent’s creditors and the amounts they are owed. If the decedent died testate, i.e. with a valid Will, the application to relieve the estate from administration is filed with the Will, along with all of the forms necessary to admit a Will for probate. Further, the decedent’s next of kin and devisees under the Will are notified and are parties to this process. If everything goes as it should and all the requirements are met, the probate court will issue an order releasing the probate assets, the payment to creditors with valid claims, and the distribution of probate assets.     

 Again, Ohio law does limit which estates qualify to use this type of probate proceeding. The process may be used only if either: 

  •  There is no surviving spouse or the surviving spouse is not entitled to all probate assets and the probate assets are $35,000 or less and the decedent died on or after November 9, 1994. (Different asset levels apply for qualification if decedent died prior to this date.)  

 

  •  The surviving spouse is entitled to all of the probate assets and the probate assets are $100,000 or less and the decedent died on or after March 18, 1999. (Again, different asset levels apply for qualification if decedent died prior to this date.) 

 Avoiding or limiting the probate process through selective use of codified probate processes is one way of preserving estate assets and saving everyone’s time. There are, however, other methods that avoid probate but also carry positive benefits for the estate, heirs, and intended beneficiaries. Creative and conscientious use of estate planning tools such as trusts, pour-over wills, and P.O.D. and T.O.D. designations can see even more savings for friends and family of a recently deceased. Contact a local Ohio estate attorney and find out the best way to plan your estate to maximize what is left behind for those you love and save time and expenses when going through probate.   

You don’t have to be rich to protect what you’ve spent a lifetime trying to build. To find out whether a trust is right for your family, take the one-minute questionnaire at www.DoIneedaTrust.com. There are a number of different trusts available and the choices are infinite. With every scenario, careful consideration of every trust planning strategy should be considered for the maximum asset protection and tax savings. For more information, you can contact Mike Benjamin of Baron Law LLC at 216-573-3723. Baron Law LLC is a Cleveland, Ohio area law firm focusing on estate planning and elder law. Mike can also be reached at mike@baronlawcleveland.com.  

 Helping You and Your Loved Ones Plan for the Future.

About the author: Mike E. Benjamin, Esq.  

Mike is a contracted attorney at Baron Law LLC who specializes in civil litigation, estate planning, and probate law. He is a member of the Westshore Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association for the Northern District of Ohio. He can be reached at mike@baronlawcleveland.com.   

 

 

 

 

man and woman shaking hands with attorney after signing legal document

Ohio Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trusts in Estate Planning

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Learn the similarities and differences and get help understanding which is right for your estate plan.

Read more