My dad died recently and he left a will. The funeral home director says all we need to do is file an amendment with the will at the courthouse. Is that true? If so, what should it say? Furthermore, I ...

Q: My 34-year old son died unexpectedly. When he was a child, I opened a $2,000 savings account for him. I never told him about the account due to his bipolar nature but planned to surprise him when ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bob Carlson researches all facets of retirement finances. The recent deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa ...

A reader recently reached out after his elderly mother died, asking how soon he could distribute the $10,000 she had earmarked in her will for each of her two grandchildren. Because she lived in ...

Probate can feel like stepping into a maze of legal paperwork, court deadlines and emotional decisions, often at one of life's more difficult moments. Families suddenly find themselves juggling ...