Planning Ahead

Articles and Info

Make-a-Will Month and Estate Planning

This article celebrates March as Make-a-Will month and does so by dispelling the top eight myths about estate planning.


ARIZONA PROBATE FUNDAMENTALS

This is the first in a series of articles intended to provide a basic understanding of Arizona Probate Law including the definition of probate and the circumstances under which a probate proceeding is necessary.


When Diminished Capacity Comes Home

Does your loved one need a power of attorney? Read this article and find out.


The Importance of Assigning a Medical Power of Attorney

This article addresses the importance of a health care power of attorney. A health care power of attorney is also known as a health care proxy or an advance health care directive.


Save for Retirement

It is not too late to save for retirement. There are options available to meet your needs depending on your age and lifestyle.


Revocable Living Trust

Find out about trusts, how they are set up and what they can as you plan ahead.


Staying in Charge of Your Future

Planning ahead allows you to remain in charge of your future. There are laws to protect your wishes. But the right to have your wishes carried out later is worthless unless you act now - while you still can.


Life Care Planning Packet (Advanced Directives), Information and Documents from the Arizona Attorney General

Find out about Durable Health Care Power of Attorney, Living Will (End of Life Care), Durable Mental Health Care Power of Attorney, Letter to My Agent (Representative) and More!

by: Arizona Office of the Attorney General

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Question: what does the law say I must do if my wife dies during the night. we have a living will, power of attorney. donator list and we don't want heroic measures if there won't be s good out come. we want to be cremated (in paperwork) can I just drive her to the hospital etc?
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Question: Hi, my kids and I I live and take care of my mom and dad and I make sure my father gets to his appts, takes pills etc, and my moms on hospice and i am both the medical power of attorney for them. I am the youngest of 8 and I fear that is something happens to my parents and their home is under my dad and brother that comes around every cpl days for a bit then leaves. Is there or should I do something now before its too late in order for us not to be in the street after parents pass. I pay all the bills and property taxes and I dont want the place under my name I just dont want my brother to get mad cuz he drinks and gets dumb and threatens to kick us off his property for telling him not to drink here. Now us is myself and 3 daughters. we all take care of my parents.
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Question: My mother is the guardian for my brother, who has Down's Syndrome. He is dependent on her for many of his needs. How can she plan ahead in terms of his care and guardianship? In other words, can she put that in her will or does she need to set something up in the courts? What happens if she does not? Kindly,
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Question: When my mother was living she put my sister's name on my decease fathers money and now she has passed. What should be done with the money my sister has. Shall if be divided among the siblings?
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Question: can a spouse sign over guardianship which to someone when he never got it legale through a court of law or two doctors
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Question: My mom and stepdad have a trust that was set up by their insurance broker. I am the trustee and the trust states that all assets are to be sold and split equally between the 6 children. This is a blended family. Do they need a will in addition to the trust?
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Question: I would like to have assistance with filling out advance directives. Can you help?
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Question: My Mother lived in and owned property in Sun City, AZ for about 30 yrs. She had two living children whom have had a rather toxic relationship. She had a living trust and her son is named Successor Trustee. In 2003 she suffered a small stroke and (while still mentally alert) she had a problem with her speaking ability. As a result, she retired as Trustee and named her son who divides his time between New Mexico and Alaska. Her son physically relocated her to New Mexico about 10 months before she passed in Feb. 2011. He had sold her property in AZ in Sept 2010 but moved all her personal belongings to his property in NM prior to that date. Her remains are interred in AZ. Which state would have jurisdiction if a probate proceeding is necessary? (i.e.- Say the Successor Trustee fails to act?)
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Question: When a spouse passes away and has debt in his/her name only, like credit cards, and or contractual obligations for satellite services or cell phone service that charge fee for early termination, etc.- is the remaining spouse responsble for that debt and fulfilling contractual obligation?
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Question: I am alone in the whole world. It is just my senior dog, and I, who is a senior as well. How can I plan ahead, since I can not afford paying for a living will, and what is going to happen when I die being by myself? Thank you.
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Question: Where can I get A template to revise my Living Trust & Power of Attorney?
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Question: If there is a person named as the executor in a trust and the Trustee wants to change the executor; is the previous executor need to be present in order to make this revision to the trust? The previous executor is not reliable and cannot be trusted. Also this person would not agree to let the trust be changed.
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Question: If my 81-year-old husband predeceases me without a will, how is his estate settled? We have no children together, but he has three grown daughters. The bank accounts, house and car pass to me because we own them jointly with right of survivorship, but what about other property he owns by himself?
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Question: When and how to contact a fiduciary.
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Question: When a person passes away are the outstanging debts,like credit cards passed on to their adult children?
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Question: Our living will was updated for the state of California; should it be updated for Arizona since this is our primary residence?
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Question: What makes a Will valid in the state of Arizona
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Question: What are rules for Medicaid recipients with regard to the other spouses rights? I'm planning for if I would have to go to a Nursing Home.
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Question: My mother passed away. She does have a will and I was nominated as the executer and trustee. I am the sole beneficiary. She only has a bank account but when the account was setup nobody was on the account but her. no payable unpon death. What is required by the bank for me to access the account to begin paying for her expences? Her will did state that I shoud have immediate access without going through the courts.
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Question: How do I begin to file probate if there is no will?
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Question: How does a disclaimer of rights of survivorship in jointly held property work?
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Question: Can I just leave my savings in a bank account for later use?
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Question: Will my beneficiaries’ inheritance be taxed?
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Question: How will my property be distributed upon my death?
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Question: Do I need a will?
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Question: What is a conservator?
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Question: Can I be barred from handling my own affairs for any reason?
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Question: What is a living will?
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Question: What is the difference between a 'living will' and a 'last will and testament' type of will?
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Question: I need info pertaining to my rights power of attorney for my father and how to keep ex-stepmother from getting his pension.
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FIND LEGAL HELP

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OTHER LEGAL RESOURCES

  • State Bar of Arizona
    www.azbar.org
  • Maricopa County Bar
    www.maricopabar.org
    Referral number 602-257-4434
  • Pima County Bar
    www.pimacountybar.org
    Referral number 520-623-4625
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline
    800-799-7233
  • Bankruptcy Court Self Help Center
    866-553-0893
  • Certified Legal Document Preparer Program
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