There are many ways for a person to structure their estate plan. Sometimes a Last Will and Testament is sufficient, other times, a Revocable Living Trust is required to ensure that assets are divided pursuant to a person’s intent. Regardless of which estate planning vehicle is used in your plan, there is the opportunity for a transfer-on-death deed (TOD deed) to be a part of your estate plan. Though the TOD deed is Read More
Reckless Driving Charges & Protecting Your Rights
Like DUIs, many assume there is no defense against a reckless driving charge. Changing your mindset about this is critical because these charges have severe consequences in Virginia, ranging from significant fines to losing your driver’s license and potential jail time. When you face a reckless driving charge, seek the guidance of an experienced criminal defense attorney who can protect your rights. Select Law Read More
Estate Planning, Capacity Issues, & Your Parents
Estate planning is critical in terms of protecting assets and ensuring your wishes are carried out. Although you may be an adult that has a plan in place, do your parents? The older a person is before getting a plan in place, the greater the risk that they will not have the capacity to sign their own documents. Not having estate planning documents can negatively impact both themselves and the individuals who step up Read More
FERS & Equitable Distribution
In March of 2023, we published a blog about how to split retirement accounts during a divorce. Because we have offices in Northern Virginia and North Carolina, our family law attorneys work closely with military members and people the government employs. In terms of the divorce process, a civilian and a Marine, for instance, will file the same way through the same courts. However, government employees and military Read More
Simple vs. Aggravated Assault and Battery in Virginia
When most people hear the word “assault,” they think of someone getting physically struck by another person. However, that is NOT the definition of assault in Virginia or many other jurisdictions. Assault means someone has only threatened to hurt another person physically and accompanied that threat with a physical motion indicating the assaulter intends to follow through with that threat. Assault is defined as Read More
Incapacity Planning and the Revocable Living Trust
The revocable living trust, sometimes called a living trust, has many attractive qualities that make it a powerful estate planning tool. One of these attributes is the ability to offer you incapacity protection over the assets that are placed into your trust during your lifetime. Incapacity planning is planning that is done so that if you fall under an illness or other disability where you can no longer manage your Read More
Splitting Retirement Accounts During A Divorce
One of the many reasons a divorce is such a significant event in your life is because it questions your future. Accumulating and protecting assets is a method for securing a future. Regardless of your long-term goals, you must be in the right financial position to pursue them. Think about how much a divorce calls this into question. Someone middle-aged, for instance, begins to look at the equity they have in their Read More
Thinking Beyond “Will vs. Trust”
CNBC reported that 67% of Americans live without an estate plan. There is no singular explanation for why people avoid it, but several common themes exist. I don’t have enough assets. (You have more than you think.) Everything will go to my wife, so I don’t need one. (What happens when your wife passes away?) I am too young to think about it. (Everyone faces the possibility of incapacitation regardless Read More
Shift Your Perspective & View This As A Process
Select Law Partners, PLLC, houses attorneys skilled at estate planning and family law. Anyone who spends time understanding these practice areas will see how much overlap there is between them. When we work with clients with family law or estate planning issues, we notice a general expectation that things can be resolved quickly. Come in, sign the papers, and move on with your life. This mindset is understandable Read More
The value of information gathering: Hidden roadmap
Although this topic could apply to multiple practices, we are talking about it in the context of estate planning and family law. They are different sides of the same coin. Family law focuses on dividing your assets between you and your spouse, whereas estate planning is about preserving your assets for future heirs, protecting your assets, and planning for your incapacity. Regardless of your legal concerns, having Read More
