Assets Not Normally Included in a Will
Tim Oliver became an attorney with Oliver and Johnson, PA, in 1991. For over 30 years, Tim Oliver has gained significant experience as an attorney specializing in estate planning. In this role, Timothy Jon Oliver works closely with clients as they assemble wills and trusts. Writing a will is an important part of an estate plan and serves as a legal directive for what should happen to select assets after the author of the will has died. However, certain assets cannot be included in a will or should be handled using different methods. Joint tenancy properties, for example, transfer to the living owner upon the death of the second owner, regardless of what has been written in either owner’s will. Solely owned properties, of course, can be included in a will, though many people use a living trust for property in order to avoid the time-consuming and expensive process of probate. All assets contained within a trust transfer directly to the stated beneficiaries without need of a judge or probate administrator. Proceeds from a life insurance policy can also be included in a living trust. On the other hand, certain assets feature their own channels following the owner’s death, such as proceeds from a retirement policy. When organizing a retirement plan, the policy will include a section that specifies a beneficiary.






