Standard marriage vows tend to include a line outlining someone's commitment to remain married regardless of their health and financial circumstances. However, sometimes people experience such extreme changes in lifestyle or health that divorce may begin to seem like...
Southwest Montana Legal Blog
Trusts can help protect a ranch from destruction during divorce
Many families hand down ranch operations and land from generation to generation, with each new owner trying to expand or improve the property. Yet, generations of heritage could be at risk in a matter of days if someone ends up getting divorced. Therefore, many...
Do you have to honor an easement when you buy a property?
An easement allows at least one non-owner to use a piece of property. Generally, an easement will not actually give the second individual any ownership rights. They simply have the right to use that property, but it is not an asset that they own and they can’t change...
How do you include mineral rights in your estate plan?
When you own land, like a farm or a ranch, you also own what lies beneath the land – its mineral rights. In fact, you may even have sold off the land at some point but retained the severed mineral rights and the royalties that go along with them. How you convey your...
How should your estate plan address life insurance?
If you have a life insurance policy, the value of that policy may be higher than any other asset you own. Even if it is not, it is still going to be a very significant financial asset. You got the policy because you wanted to provide stability for your family, and you...
2 reasons to add advance health care directives to estate plans
Every Montana estate plan is unique because it will reflect the family relationships and personal values of the testator drafting the documents. Still, most estate plans need to achieve two different objectives. They need to address what happens when someone dies and...
You can keep your kids from destroying the ranch after you retire
If you have carved out a ranch in Montana, you are likely quite proud of your operation. You may dream of passing the family ranch down to your children. Whether you hope that one of them will run the ranch on their own or that all of your children will share the land...
Why do you need a legal power of attorney?
Many people understand why they would need a medical power of attorney. This document helps you if you're not able to make medical decisions. It legally chooses another person who has been granted the power to do so. They're known as your agent, and they can make...
Under what circumstances do divorce and estate planning intersect?
If you asked most people about the connection between divorce and estate planning, they'd likely tell you there isn't any. After they gave the matter some thought, though, they may see where the two areas of the law intersect. Many spouses see life's many milestones,...
Can your neighbor try to claim your land with a misplaced fence?
For many individuals and even families in Minnesota, farm or ranch land is the biggest household asset. Whether you bought your own property or took over the family farm, you want to protect every acre of your land for yourself and possibly future generations. Good...