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New Hampshire and Massachusetts are both equitable division states. So, upon divorce, the court pools all marital property together and divides it equitably. Note that an “equitable” division is not necessarily the same thing as an “equal” division. The judge uses a number of factors to divide property fairly, including the economic and noneconomic contributions…
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For many area families, springtime graduation is not the rite of passage that it once was, as almost a third of adults ages 18 to 34 still live with their parents. That proportion outstrips those living alone, with roommates, or with a significant other. At the same time, the over-65 population may increase as much…
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Many times, when a loved one dies and leaves real property behind, the family has made property disposition arrangements in advance, especially if another family member is still living in the house. Usually, a brief addendum to a will is more than enough to get everyone on the same page when it comes to inherited…
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Many times, selling inherited real property is in everyone’s best interests, but there are always exceptions. Here are two of the more common ones that we see: Dad lived alone in failing health, so Diane agreed to move into the house with him. As Dad’s health declined even further, Diane left her job to become…
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When a loved one dies, everyone goes through the same five stages of grief. However, not everyone goes through these stages at the same speed, since recovery may take a couple of weeks or it may take a couple of decades. At the same time, a death in the family also creates financial concerns, as heirs…
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Many people are confused about their obligations and options in these cases. First and foremost, the mortgage is still due. Repayment obligation does not terminate with the death of the original owner. Second, to avoid foreclosure or other adverse action, such as collection letters, the mortgage must be current. The lender can still take such…
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While there are some ways to expedite the process and reduce the amount of inherited property involved, some legal proceedings are almost inevitable when a loved one dies. Properly understood and carried out, probate often brings emotional closure in these situations, but if it gets out of control, probate litigation can become an expensive mess.…
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All property, for example inherited home, has both economic and non-economic value. In many instances, the former vastly outweighs the latter, because very few people have an emotional bond with a box of corn flakes. But that is not always the case; in fact, the opposite is sometimes true. There are people reading these words…
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At the risk of giving our loyal readers too many numbers to deal with too soon, there are basically three steps in selling inherited property, but only two of them are financial. Step one is to recognize the emotional ties that the heirs probably have to the property, and deal with them. Consider having a…
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“A man’s Self is the sum total of all that he CAN call his, not only his body and his psychic powers, but his clothes, and his house, his wife and children, his ancestors and friends, his reputation and works, his lands, and yacht and bank-account.” – William James If that statement was true a…
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