QUESTION: When should I rewrite my will?

ANSWER: It depends on what has changed in your life since it was first written. Keep reading to find out some of the most common times when revision is either a good idea or even necessary.

A safe deposit box (aka safety deposit box) is a great place to store valuable and/or important things, right? Well, it depends (and yeah, it's totally fine to insert a groan here for this classic lawyer non-response).

The Executor (or Executrix or Personal Representative) is the person (or people) you name in your Will who will be responsible for carrying out the terms of the document after you die. The exact duties vary from state to state, and can even vary within a state based on the specifications of different Wills.

You're asking for a friend, right? Don't worry, I won't tell. Read on to learn the basics.

Starting a conversation with your loved ones (whether it be your parents, your partner, your siblings, your children, or others) about estate planning can feel overwhelming for many reasons. Here are five tips to help you begin.

Today (Halloween) is a holiday with a rich backstory. A quick skim of the Wikipedia page on Halloween reveals a number of traditions celebrating today (and the few days that follow) as a way to honor the memories of our loved ones who have died. The timing of Abundance NC's annual Death Faire (this year, November 3 in Pittsboro) is not coincidental. They offer this event as "an attempt at changing our culture around death, dying, and ultimately living well."

I regularly hear, "it's too complicated," as one of the main reasons people haven't written a will. For people with blended families, complicated finances, numerous lengthy and specific property distribution bequests, and/or vast amounts of wealth - yes, it can be complicated.

Getting your estate plan documents written is (more than) half the battle. But, before you shove those freshly signed, witnessed, and notarized documents in a drawer somewhere and forget about them (and by the way, don't do that!) - please be sure you aren't making one of these seven deadly estate planning mistakes - they are all totally avoidable!