Involuntary Admission to a Mental Hospital When a person cannot take care of himself, the court appoints a conservator or guardian to make decisions for him. The conservator can act for and in the place of the ward. Can the conservator sign a petition for voluntary admission to a mental hospital in the ward’s name? […]

Separate Property versus Joint Property in an Arizona Estate Arizona is a community property state. That means that all money earned during the marriage by either spouse belongs to both spouses equally. Money earned before marriage is separate property, and spouses can elect to hold common property as joint property instead of community property. The […]

A Totten Trust in Arizona A Totten trust is a simplified way to leave a bank account in trust to a beneficiary. Arizona statutes require that a Totten trust be created by a written agreement. What exactly does the law require in terms of a writing? Can a bank account signature card constitute a sufficient […]

Life Insurance and Estate Creditors in Arizona For years, the law in Arizona has been that life insurance proceeds paid to a decedent’s spouse are exempt from claims of estate creditors. Did amendments to the Uniform Probate Code change this law? In May v. Ellis, 92 P.3d 859 (Ariz. 2004) the Arizona Supreme Court reviewed […]

Who Should My Trustee Be While I am Alive Appointing a Trustee over your assets while you’re still living can be a difficult decision to make. Ultimately, the responsibilities of a Trustee are to manage your assets, pay your bills, and essentially is the person to go to in the event that you need access […]