Posts

When should you consider estate planning?

Image
A lot of people think that estate planning is just for people who are terminally ill or old. Because of this misconception, people started associating estate planning with death as more and more people think estate planning with just a last will and testament. This is one of the many reasons why people don’t do estate planning at crucial moments in their lives. According to family law attorney Shane Kersh, there are specific times in one’s lifetime where they are urged to do estate planning. Here are examples of life periods where you should consider estate planning. Changes in your marital status : Whether you’re getting married or getting a divorce, any change to your marital status should be followed up with updating your current estate documents. By doing so, you ensure that your new spouse is added to your estate documents. It can also prevent former partners from demanding properties or funds from the family of their ex-partner. When you get children : After you bec
1 comment
Read more

Why having an estate plan matters

Image
Image source: belldavispitt.com Texas attorney Shane Kersh believes that overlooking estate planning is one of the biggest mistakes heads of families make. Estate planning is of utmost importance since it deals with all the properties and assets a person has acquired their entire life to and who stands to inherit them. Contrary to popular belief, Shane Kersh says that estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy. Estate plans exist so that when a person dies, their family won’t have to go through the inconvenience of long, arduous processes to claim what’s rightfully theirs, or worse, lose it. One of the most important pieces of paper in estate planning is the living trust. This legal document, created by the owner, appoint trustees and beneficiaries. While the owner of the estate is generally the trustee, a successor is also named to take over once the owner either passes away or no longer has the mental faculties to enact the living trust and oversee the reception of the inhe
Post a Comment
Read more

Documents you need when preparing for a divorce

Image
Like most legal cases, divorce proceedings require that those seeking separation file the necessary paperwork. Also, individuals asking for a divorce or those who are disputing one are also asked by their lawyers to turn over documents and other crucial pieces of information that can be used in the case. Divorce lawyer Shane Kersh lists key documents that attorneys will need from their clients. Image source: lawandstuff.net Income-related documents Income-related documents include paycheck stubs from all your sources of income for the past year, as well as your spouse’s, expenditures, tax documents, and essentially everything that has to do with money coming in and out of your bank accounts. Marital contracts Some marriages come with other paperwork, like pre-nuptial agreements. These documents are vital especially if a divorcee claims that their spouse violated certain terms of the marriage. Joint accounts Image source: theearthawards.org Married couple are legall
Post a Comment
Read more

Three truths about adoption everyone should know

Image
Image source: Pexels.com Even with its emotional payoff, child adoption in itself is not an easy process to complete. What makes it even more complicated, Atty. Shane Kersh adds, is that there are so many myths and rumors about child adoption floating around. To clear the air, Atty. Shane Kersh shares three facts that debunk some of the most common misconceptions on child adoption. Child adoption isn’t just for the rich. While child adoption may prove to be quite costly, many organizations in the U.S. help would-be parents financially, especially if these couples don’t have enough money to shoulder all the expenses. Even local governments and some entrepreneurs offer benefits for households who plan to adopt children. Not all child adoption cases take forever. Image source: Pexels.com Child adoption cases may take a few months to three years to complete. Some cases may even take longer. International adoptions are examples of situations that take years because of
Post a Comment
Read more

On irreconcilable differences and no-fault divorces

Image
Image source: Moneycrashers.com Texas-based family law attorney Shane Kersh has been representing clients in the Houston area for years and has put a stellar record during his career. In the past months, through his series of blogs, he has put in the effort to educate and inform people not just in Texas, but all around the country on matters regarding divorce, custody, adoption, and everything in between. On this blog, Shane Kersh puts the spotlight on irreconcilable differences and how it ties up with no-fault divorces. First off, people need to understand that no-fault divorce is an easy way out especially for spouses who don’t want to harm the reputation of their partners. This happens mostly during amicable separations when both parties realize that it just wasn’t meant to be. They separate on good terms. Image source: Huffingtonpost.com Irreconcilable differences, on the other hand, means that spouses find out through the course of their marriage that there are so
1 comment
Read more

Actions to take before filing for a divorce

Image
The time it takes to process a divorce as well as the cost of the procedure depends on the preparation made by the separating couple. Some couples decide on divorce after a heated and emotionally-charged argument while others have been pondering on the idea for years. If a couple does decide to separate, they have to be smart about it according to divorce lawyer Shane Kersh. Here are some notable actions to take before filing a divorce. Image source: huffpost.com The very first thing to do is to run other options. A failing marriage doesn’t always end in divorce. Perhaps couple’s therapy could still turn things around. Regardless, a couple should be 100% sure that they both want a divorce before proceeding. If you both have decided to divorce, you’ll need to make sure that the counsel representing you is competent, has enough experience, and is someone you can trust. You could go ahead and interview lawyers or look for law firms that specialize in divorce. Once you have a div
1 comment
Read more

Spotting and stopping adoption fraud

Image
Image source: Pixabay.com  Every couple, not just in the state of Texas, but everywhere, should be aware of adoption fraud. Shane Kersh, a family law attorney, has seen his share of adoption cases wherein fraud was apparent. He believes that the first step in spotting and ultimately stopping adoption fraud lies in educating people. On that note, here are some facts on adoption fraud. · It may come in more than one form, but the end goal of the perpetrators is always the same—to get money through illegal means. · It is sometimes referred to as wrongful adoption. · The main avenue of agencies and people (birth mothers, middle-men, and adoptive parents) that commit adoption fraud is purposeful misrepresentation. · A common case of adoption fraud involves agencies that either withhold the background of a child or change the details surrounding his life, in hopes of making said child more appealing to potential adoptive parents. Image source: Pixabay.com  · There hav
Post a Comment
Read more