Clear guides to Washington law, legal aid, and your rights
Estate Planning
10 articles in this category
The executor of a will carries out everything the will instructs after the person dies. It is a real job with real legal responsibility. Here is what the role involves, what makes someone a good choice, and how to name one correctly.
Simply leaving someone out of your will does not always disinherit them. Here is how to do it correctly, who cannot be fully disinherited under state law, and how to make the decision hold up if it is challenged.
A holographic will is handwritten and signed by the testator with no witnesses required. About half of U.S. states recognize them. Here is how they work, where they fail, and when one actually makes sense.
Dying without a will means the state decides who gets your property using a formula that has nothing to do with your wishes. Here is how intestate succession works, who it leaves out, and what it costs your family.
A will written years ago may no longer reflect your wishes after marriage, divorce, new children, or major asset changes. Here is when to update, how codicils and new wills differ, and what informal changes cannot do.
A will that does not meet your state's execution requirements has no legal effect, regardless of how clearly it expresses the testator's wishes. Here is what every state requires and where the rules most commonly diverge.
A will does not need to be long to be legally effective. It needs the right form, the right signatures, and the right witnesses. Here is what every valid will must include and how to get the execution right for your state.
A living will documents your CPR preference. A DNR is the physician's order that actually stops resuscitation. Having one does not mean you have the other. Here is how they differ and when you need each.
Texas uses two separate documents for advance care planning: the Medical Power of Attorney for agent designation and the Directive to Physicians for treatment instructions. Here is what each requires and why you need both.
California combines the healthcare agent designation and living will into a single Advance Health Care Directive. Here is what it covers, who can witness it, what powers the agent has, and how to execute it correctly.
