Kentucky is one of only a handful of states that still imposes an inheritance tax — and the rates can be surprisingly steep depending on who’s inheriting. If you’re planning your estate or settling a loved one’s affairs, understanding how Kentucky’s inheritance tax works is essential. The good news: with the right planning, many families…
One of the first questions I hear from families dealing with a loved one’s estate is: “How long is this going to take?” The honest answer is that it depends — but in Kentucky, most probate cases take somewhere between six months and two years, with straightforward estates on the shorter end and contested or…
When someone dies without a will in Kentucky, the law decides who inherits their property. This is called “intestate succession,” and the rules are set out in KRS Chapter 391. While the statute tries to approximate what most people would want, the results don’t always match what the deceased person actually intended — and they…
Undue influence is one of the most common — and most difficult to prove — grounds for contesting a will in Kentucky. It arises when someone in a position of trust or authority over the testator exerts pressure that overcomes the testator’s free will, resulting in a will that reflects the influencer’s wishes rather than…
When someone passes away and their will names an executor, that person is entrusted with a serious responsibility: managing the estate, paying debts, and distributing assets to beneficiaries. But what happens when the executor isn’t doing their job — or worse, is actively mismanaging the estate? Kentucky law gives beneficiaries and interested parties the right…
Losing a loved one is difficult enough without discovering that their will doesn’t seem right. Maybe the will was changed shortly before death under suspicious circumstances. Maybe a caregiver or new acquaintance suddenly appears as a major beneficiary. Maybe the person who signed the will was clearly suffering from dementia or confusion at the time….
Long-term care in Kentucky — whether in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or through home health services — is expensive. Nursing home costs in Kentucky average $7,000 to $9,000 per month, and a multi-year stay can consume a lifetime of savings. Medicaid can cover these costs, but only for those who meet strict financial…
Most people are familiar with the concept of a statute of limitations — a deadline for filing a lawsuit that starts when you discover (or should have discovered) the injury. But Kentucky also has statutes of repose, which impose a hard outer deadline measured from the date of the defendant’s act, regardless of when you…
When a parent dies and the children inherit the family home together, the stage is set for one of the most emotionally charged property disputes in Kentucky law. One sibling wants to sell. Another wants to keep the home. A third hasn’t contributed to taxes or maintenance in years but still wants their share. These…
You have a judgment against a debtor, but when you try to collect, the assets are gone. The debtor transferred the house to a spouse, moved money into a family member’s account, or “sold” a business for a fraction of its value. In Kentucky, these transactions may be voidable under the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act…