| The Natural Objects of One's Bounty - II |
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| This article is the second part of a three-part series describing the traditional names for the various members of one's family.More... |
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| Federal Estate-Tax Return - Deductions |
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| To be deductible, death-related expenses must be necessary, reasonable, allowable under state law, and have been paid (or be payable) by the estate. The IRS will attempt to disallow deductions for expenses that are not necessary to pay the dents or taxes of the estate or to preserve the estate or distribute it. More... |
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| Inheritance in Unusual Circumstances |
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| State statutes of descent and distribution are usually supplemented by other statutes or court rulings governing inheritance in unusual circumstances. This article discusses some of those unusual circumstances.More... |
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| Inheritance Issues -- Spouses |
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| When the deceased leaves a will disinheriting a spouse, most states allow the surviving spouse to ignore (or waive) the will and take what is called a forced share. The laws of those states that allow a surviving spouse to take a forced share are very specific in the amount that the spouse may take, but this does not mean that questions do not arise.More... |
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| Executors - Government and Fringe Benefits |
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| Government and work-related fringe benefits are not always treated as assets of the estate, so technically the collection of these benefits may not be the executor's legal responsibility. Social Security benefits, benefits payable under the Railroad Retirement Act, and benefits payable to the spouse and dependent children of government employees covered by civil service are paid directly to named beneficiaries, not to the estate. In many instances, however, the amounts payable to beneficiaries from these sources can be greater than those passing through probate, and it is the executor's responsibility to make the beneficiaries aware of the potential benefits to which they are entitled. If the benefits are paid to the estate, then their collection will be the executor's responsibility. If paid directly to named beneficiaries, the latter must still be fully informed by the executor of the nature and size of the benefits and the name of each recipient.More... |
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