About Canaan Suitt, J.D.
Canaan Suitt received his J.D. from William & Mary Law School. After serving as a senior editor for the law school’s comparative law blog, he was a staff member of the William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review (ELPR). As a legal intern at the National Center for State Courts, he assisted in international rule of law projects and policy review; as a research assistant, he studied political dynamics in the U.S. federal judiciary. His articles on law and philosophy have been published in the ELPR as well as the academic journal Dewey Studies. He loves using his background in research and writing to make legal information accessible. Canaan currently writes for SuperLawyers.com. In his free time, he enjoys reading, travel, and being a cat dad.
Articles written by Canaan Suitt, J.D.
What Assets Should Be Considered When Planning Your Estate?
Anyone who owns assets of any kind has an estate. Estate planning is the process of preparing for what will happen to your assets when you die or become incapacitated. An estate plan answers these key questions: What are my assets? How will my assets be distributed? Who do I want to leave my property to? Who will care for or raise your dependents if you die What kind of medical care you will receive Who will make decisions regarding your …
What Is the Role of an Executor in Estate Planning?
The executor is the deceased person's legal representative and has a fiduciary duty to negotiate debt settlements, protect the estate's asset inventory, and carry out the deceased's last will and testament. Executors obtain a death certificate, file a probate court petition, communicate with beneficiaries, manage property, notify creditors, and maintain records. They oversee the appraisal process, identify the parties' bank accounts, and file tax returns. These fiduciaries pay estate fund final …
Four Ways To Reduce and Avoid Estate Tax
Everyone who owns property has an estate, but not everyone is subject to estate taxes. Estate taxes only apply to wealthy individuals with very large estates. If your estate is large enough to be taxed under federal or state law, there are strategies to reduce or avoid your estate tax liability. This article will cover some of the main strategies for avoiding estate taxes. Large estates are complex, and once you understand the available options, it's best to speak with an experienced estate …
How Can a Probate Court Process Be Avoided?
To avoid the probate court process, you must initiate non-probate asset transfer estate planning during your lifetime. Asset transfer planning options include a revocable living trust, beneficiary designations in retirement accounts, life insurance, and payable-on-death accounts. Real estate owned in joint tenancy with right of survivorship and transfer-on-death deeds transfers property upon death. With non-probate transfers, property ownership passes through direct inheritance and avoids …
What Does an Estate Planning Attorney Do?
Estate planning attorneys are legal advocates who provide counsel, estate document drafting, and help clients carry out end-of-life wishes. Estate planning fiduciary guidance includes asset protection, probate avoidance, estate tax mitigation, advance directives, and incapacity planning. An attorney drafts last wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, guardian appointments, beneficiary designations, and other estate planning vehicles. An attorney can also carry out trust …
When Should I Sue for Breach of Contract?
A contract is a legally binding agreement between two or more parties. Contracts are the backbone of everyday business. Sales contracts allow people to purchase land, goods, and services. Other contracts govern matters like employment. Ideally, all parties uphold their contractual obligations. But as we all know, things do not always go as planned. When a party fails to perform its obligations under an agreement, it’s in breach of contract. This article will explain when to sue for breach of …
How To Defend Against Breach of Contract Claims
Generally, the terms of a contract are legally binding, such that parties who fail to perform are in breach of contract. However, there are a number of ways that a contract can be invalidated or rescinded. If you're sued or threatened with a breach of contract lawsuit, you can raise several potential defenses. This article will explain what a breach of contract is and cover some of the most common defenses to breach of contract. It's best to raise as many defenses as possible. Once you're …
How Domestic Partnerships Legally Compare to Marriage
Domestic partnerships are committed relationships in which individuals share a residence and live together without being married. Though only recognized by a handful of states, such partnerships provide individuals with some of the legal benefits of marriage. Domestic partnership law varies by state. Many states have done away with civil unions and domestic partnerships. To understand the benefits of a domestic partnership in your state, talk to a local family law attorney. What Are Domestic …
How Do I Create a Legally Enforceable Contract?
“When people think of contracts, they tend to think of multi-page documents with all this arcane legal language in them — but they don’t have to be that way,” says New York business attorney Sarah Gold. There are a few key requirements any contract must meet in order to be legally binding and enforceable, including legal capacity, mutual assent, exchange, and offer and acceptance. It’s possible to have a contract that meets all the requirements while being clear and to the …
Types of Business Lawsuits
Many kinds of lawsuits involve businesses and business activities. Business owners may be sued as defendants or sue others as plaintiffs. While business owners can take proactive steps to protect their businesses from lawsuits, such as having a lawyer draft sound contracts or implement policies and procedures that comply with federal and state laws, lawsuits may be unavoidable in some instances. At other times, a business owner may have no choice but to bring a lawsuit to protect their …
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