Wills, Trusts, and Estates Intro Cards Flashcards
A person’s (i) ______ consists of his or her (ii) _____ ____ and other (iii) ______ ________ that may be the subject of ownership. A (iv) _____’s (v) ____ ____ consists of all property that may be disposed of by will or pass by (vi) _______. Property that passes by (vii) ___ ____ is not part of the probate estate
(i) estate; (ii) real property; (iii) property interests; (iv) decedent’s (v) probate estate: (vi) intestacy; (vii) non-probate transfer
The Uniform (i) ______ Code (UPC) and (ii) Uniform _____ Code (UTC) are models for legislation in wills and estates.
(i) probate; (ii) trusts
(i) ______ and ______ evidence is a standard of proof that applies to many controversies regarding (ii) _____, ______, and _____; it requires (iii) ______ establishing that the fact is (iv) ______ _______ or (v) ____ ____ to be true. This standard is (vi) ____ ______ than a preponderance of the evidence, but less demanding than proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
(i) clear and convincing; (ii) wills, trusts, and estates; (iii) evidence; (iv) highly probably; (v) very likely; (vi) more demanding
The law of (i) _____ applies to any portion of the decedent’s estate that has not been disposed of by (ii) ______. This may happen if: (A) the decadent dies (iii) _____ a _____; (B) the (iv) _____ is partially or wholly (v) _____; or (C) the will fails to dispose of some portion of the probate estate. The decedent’s (vi) ______ ____ is distributed to his her her (vii) _____ ______ at ____. If the decedent dies with no (viii) ____ _____, then the entire estate passes to the state under the doctrine of (ix) ____.
(i) intestacy; (ii) will; (iii) without a will; (iv) will; (v) invalid; (vi) intestate estate; (vii) surviving heirs at law; (viii) eligible heirs; (ix) escheat
An intestate (i) ___ is someone entitled to (ii) _____ from a decedent under the law of (iii) ________. Because a person’s heirs cannot be (iv) _________ until (v) _____, a living person has no (vi) ____. To take intestacy, an heir must (vii) _______ the decedent. Heirs can include: (A) (viii) ________ spouses; (B) (ix) _______; (C) (x) ________; and (D) (xi) ________
(i) heir; (ii) inherit; (iii) intestacy; (iv) known; (v) death; (vi) heirs; (vii) survive; (viii) surviving; (ix) descendants; (x) ancestors; (xi) collaterals
In an intestate estate, a (i) ____ _____ inherits all or part of the estate, depending on whether the (ii) _______ leaves surviving (iii) ______ or (iv) _______. Descendants take whatever is not the surviving spouses’s share. If a child or decedent precedes the decedent and has (v) ______ who survive the decedent, the predeceased child’s (vi) _______ may take by (vii) ________, either (viii) ____ _______ or (ix) ___ _____ at each generation. If the decedent has no surviving descendant, then ancestors and collateral may take whatever share of the intestate estate does not go to the surviving spouse.
(i) surviving spouse; (ii) decedent; (iii) descendants; (iv) parents; (v) issue; (vi) issue; (vii) representation; (viii) per stirpes; (ix) per capita
An intestate heir’s (i) ______ may be reduced by the value of the property that the decedent has (ii) ______ to the heir before the (iii) ________’s death. The reduction may be calculated using the (iv) _______ method.
(i) share; (ii) transferred; (iii) decedent’s; (iv) hotchpot
A will, or (i) _____, is a (ii) ____ _______ that indicates the (iii) _____ of a (iv) _____ regarding the disposition of his (v) ____ after death. A will may distribute real and personal property to an (vi) ______ _______ regardless of the beneficiary’s relationship to the (vii) _____. The (viii) _______ ______ is the portion of the decedent’s probate estate disposed of by will, not intestacy. For a will to be valid, a (ix) _____ must (x) ______ it with (xi) _______ _____.
(i) testament; (ii) written instrument; (iii) intent; (iv) testator; (v) estate; (vi) intended beneficiary; (vii) testator; (viii) testate estate; (ix) testator; (x) execute; (xi) testamentary intent
(i) _____ is the judicial procedure under which a document is established to be (ii) ______. (iii) ______ can be informal, with minimal supervision by the probate court, or it can be full-blown (iv) _______
(i) probate; (ii) testamentary; (iii) probate; (iv) litigation
Traditionally, a (i) _____ may be (ii) _____ at any time after the (iii) _____ death. State statutes may limited time. The UPC limits time to (iv) _____ ______ after death.
(i) will; (ii) probated; (iii) testator’s; (iv) three years
A (i) _____ ________ is a fiduciary, compensated by the (ii) ________, who administers the decedent’s (iii) ____ _____ in the (iv) ___ ______ of successors to the estate. The personal representative (v) ______ the estate property and informs interested persons probate has begun. Creditors must file claims against the estate.
(i) personal representative; (ii) estate; (iii) probate estate; (iv) best interests; (v) inventories
In general, the law of the (i) _____ where the (ii) _______ was (iii) _______ at death generally governs the will’s interpretation and validity with regard to disposition of (iv) ______ _________, and the law of the state where the (v) ________ is located governs the disposition of (vi) ___ ____. Choice-of-law clauses in (vii) ____ are generally valid and (viii) _______.
(i) state; (ii) testator; (iii) domiciled; (iv) personal property; (v) property; (vi) real property; (vii) wills; (viii) enforceable
A (i) _____ must be properly executed to have any (ii) _____ _____. The formal requirements for the execution of a will depend on the type of will and whether the sate has adopted the (iii) _______ ____ rules. All states permit (iv) _______, or (v) _______, wills. In some states, unattested (vi) _______ wills, or rarely, (vii) ______ wills may also be valid.
(i) will; (ii) dispositive effect; (iii) harmless error; (iv) attested; (v) witnessed; (vi) holographic; (vii) oral
An (i) ______ will is: (A) in (ii) ______; (B) (iii) ______ by the testator (or in his presence with his direction) and (C) (iv) _______ by the statutorily required number of people
(i) attested; (ii) writing; (iii) signed; (iv) witnesses
A (i) ________ will is (ii) ________ by the (iii) _____. In most states, a will may be admitted to probate if it qualifies as a (iv) ________ will under the relevant state’s laws, even if it does not meet the requirements of an attested will. Traditionally, a (v) _____ will had to be entirely in the (vi) _______’s _____. Under the UPC, a (vii) _______ will is valid if the (viii) ________ and the (ix) _______ portions of the will are in the (x) ______’s _____.
(i) holographic; (ii) handwritten; (iii) testator; (iv) holographic; (v) holographic; (vi) testator’s handwriting; (vii) holographic; (viii) signature; (ix) material; (x) testator’s handwriting
(i) ________, or (ii) ______ wills are generally invalid. In some states, an (iii) ____ will may be valid in some cases if the property disposed of is below a certain dollar value, and the terms are (iv) ______ ____ within a certain time after the testator’s (v) ______ declarations.
(i) nuncupative; (ii) oral; (iii) oral; (iv) written down; (v) oral
A will may be valid even if the formalities of execution were not (i) _____ _____ if the (ii) _______ shows by (iii) ______ and ______ ______ that the decedent (iv) _____ to (v) _____ the document as his (vi) ____. The (vii) ______-______ rules will not excuse the lack of writing or lack of (viii) ________, but it may excuse defects in (ix) ____________. The UPC adopts the (x) ____-_____ rule.
(i) strictly observed; (ii) proponent; (iii) clear and convincing evidence; (iv) intended; (v) adopt; (vi) will; (vii) harmless-error; (viii) signature; (ix) attestation; (x) harmless-error
The doctrine of (i) ______ states that, to be considered part of a (ii) _____, a page or writing must be (iii) ____ at the time of the will’s (iv) ________, and that the (v) _____ must (vi) _____ for the page or writing to be part of the will.
(i) integration; (ii) will; (iii) present; (iv) execution; (v) testator; (vi) intend
A (i) _____ is a (ii) _______ document that (iii) _____ or supplements a prior valid will. A (iv) _____ will be construed to (v) ______ or revoke the will it modifies only to the extent (vi) ______ to effectuate the intent in executing the codicil.
(i) codicil; (ii) testamentary; (iii) amends; (iv) codicil; (v) amend; (vi) necessary
A will may (i) _____ the contents of (ii) ___ ______ by reference, even if the requirements for integration are unsatisfied, if: (A) the will manifests the (iii) ____’s ____ to make the document part of the will; (B) the will (iv) ____ the document (v) _____ to permit its (vi) _____; and (C) the document (vii) ______ when the will was (viii) _____. The will must describe the writing early enough for a (ix) _______ _____ _____ to conclude that the (x) ____ _____ to incorporate the specific writing into the will.
(i) incorporate; (ii) separate writing; (iii) testator’s intent; (iv) describes; (v) sufficiently; (vi) identification; (vii) exists; (viii) executed; (ix) reasonable fact finder; (x) testator intended
An (i) _____ _______ _______ in a will may affect the meaning of a (ii) ____ or other provision int he will, provided that the (iii) ___ _____ has significant apart from its effect on the will’s meaning. This means that the fact, act, or event would either naturally occur on its own or be done for reasons other than its effect on the will.
(i) external circumstance referenced; (ii) dispositive; (iii) external circumstance
To (i) _____ a will means to (ii) __ it, in whole or in part. A will may be (iii) ______ by (iv) _____ _____ ____ or by physical act. A will may also be revoked by operation of law due to changes in the (v) _______’s _____ _____, such as marriage, divorce, or the birth of children. A revoked will may be (vi) ____ by executing a later testamentary instrument (vii) _____ _____ the will.
(i) revoke; (ii) annul; (ii) revoked; (iv) later testamentary instrument; (v) testator’s family circumstances; (vi) revived; (vii) expressly reviving
A testator may enter into a valid, (i) ____ ____ to dispose of property a certain way by will or to die intestate. Similarly, a testator may (ii) ____ agree not to revoke a will or devise within a will.
(i) binding contract; (ii) contractually
The primary objective in (i) _____ a will is to ascertain and effectuate the (ii) ______’s _____. To that end, courts construe a will as a whole, as opposed to interpreting (iii) ___ ____ in isolation. Courts will consider (iv) _______ _____ to: (A) establish whether the (v) _____ for a valid will are satisfied; (B) resolve an (vi) _____ in the will; or (C) determine whether an (vii) ____ exists. Some courts will rely on (viii) _____ _____ to (ix) ____ a will that, though clear on its face, does not (x) _______ the (xi) ______’s ____ _____.
(i) interpreting; (ii) testator’s intent; (iii) discrete provisions; (iv) extrinsic evidence; (v) requirements; (vi) ambiguity ; (vii) ambiguity; (viii) extrinsic evidence; (ix) reform; (x) reflect; (xi) testator’s true intent
A (i) ____ is any gift under a will. (ii) _____ may be general, (iii) _____, demonstrative, or (iv) ______.
(i) devise; (ii) devises; (iii) specific; (iv) residuary
A general (i) _____ is a testamentary gift, usually a (ii) ____ ___ of money or quantity of (iii) _______, payable from the estate’s general assets and not from a named source within the estate.
(i) devise; (ii) specific sum; (iii) property
A (i) _____ _______ is a testamentary gift of an asset that is specifically (ii) _____.
(i) specific devise; (ii) identified
A (i) ____ ____ is a gift, usually of money, payable primarily from a specified source.
(i) demonstrative devise
A (i) _____ ____ is the (ii) ______ – whatever is left in the state after satisfying all claims, allowances, specific devises, general devises, and demonstrative devises
(i) residual devise; (ii) residue
A will gift may be a (i) ____ ____, a gift to beneficiaries taking as members of a group. The beneficiaries each take a fraction fo the whole. The identities and shares of the beneficiaries are subjects to change over time, usually by the (ii) ____ or _____ of (iii) _____ _____. Under the (iv) ____ of ______, a class gift closes to new membership in the class once the first member of the class is entitled to distribution.
(i) class gift; (ii) addition or subtraction; (iii) class members; (iv) rule of convenience
If an intended (i) ______ under a will (ii) _______ the (iii) _______, then the gift to that person (iv) ______. The gift (v) ___ _____; it passes into he (vi) ______ or into (vii) _____. Antilapse statutes avoid this result by providing that the gift will instead pass to (viii) _____ takers.
(i) beneficiary; (ii) predeceases; (iii) testator; (iv) lapse; (v) fails entirely; (vi) residue; (vii) intestacy; (viii) substitute
The doctrine of (i) _______ may revoke a (ii) _____ that has been satisfied or extinguished at the time of the (iii) _____’s death. (iv) _____ by (v) _____ means that a specific devise of specifically identified atet fails because the gifted asset is not in the estate at the (vi) _____’s ______. (vii) ______ by (viii) _______ occurs if the testator has given a devise a lifetime git, which is then deducted from the devise.
(i) ademption; (ii) devise; (iii) testator’s; (iv) ademption; (v) extinction; (vi) testator’s death; (vii) ademption; (viii) satisfaction
An (i) _____ is untying acquired due to ownership of an asset, such as income, interest, rents, dividends, profits, etc – the economic fruits of an asset.
(i) accretion
(i) _____ occurs if the estate is too (ii) ____ to satisfy both (iii) _____ claims against and the (iv) ____ to the divisees. In that event, the (v) _____ must be reduced, or (vi) ______, to the extent necessary to satisfy the claim.
(i) abatement; (ii) small; (iii) rightful; (iv) gifts; (v) devises; (vi) abated
(i) _____ is the (ii) ____-____ rule that a devisee of real property may satisfy any of the mortgages or similar encumbrances against the property from the (iii) _____ ____ of the estate – excluding (iv) ____ ___ or (v) _____ of other (vi) ______.
(i) exoneration; (ii) common-law; (ii) general assets; (iv) specific devises; (v) devises; (vi) realty
The (i) ____ rule is the principle, typically embodied in a so-called (ii) ______ statute, that if a beneficiary under a will (iii) ____ and (iv) _____ (v) _____ the (vi) ______, any gift, power of appointment, or fiduciary appointment to the (vii) _______ under the will is (viii) _____ by operation of (ix) ____.
(i) slayer; (ii) slayer; (iii) feloniously; (iv) intentionally; (v) kills; (vi) testator; (vii) slayer; (viii) revoked; (ix) law
A (i) _____ may disclaim, or (ii) _____, any gift, power of appointment, or other benefit under the will. The gift is deemed (iii) _____ and treated as if the recipient had (iv) ______ the (v) _____.
(i) devisee; (ii) reject; (iii) revoked; (iv) predeceased; (v) testator
To take under a will, a (i) ____ must (ii) ____, or outlive, the (iii) _____. At common law, a (iv) ______ need outlive the testator by only an (v) _____. Under the Uniform Simultaneous Death Act (USDA), if the proof is insufficient to determine other than two individuals died simultaneously, each person’s estate will be administered as though that person survived the other. Under the UPC and the Revised UDSA, a (vi) _____ must survive the (vii) _______ by (viii) _____ _____.
(i) devisee; (ii) survive; (iii) testator; (iv) devisee; (v) instant; (vi) devisee; (vii) testator; (viii) 120 hours.
A will may be (i) ______ in (ii) ______ court. To the extent that a will contest is (iii) _______, the will is (iv) ____. The disposition of property described in the (v) ____ provisions will the pass into the (vi) _____ or into (vii) ____.
(i) contested; (ii) probate; (iii) successfully; (iv) void; (v) voided; (vi) residue; (viii) intestacy
To have (i) _______ _______, or the capacity to (ii) ____ a valid will, the (iii) ______ must (A) satisfy the (iv) ____ _____ and (B) be of (v) ___ ____. The requirement of (vi) _____ ____ means that the (vii) _____ must be able to understand, in a general way, the: (A) (viii) ____ and ____ of his property; (B) (ix) ______ _____ of his bounty; (C) the nature of the (x) _____ ____ being performed; and (D) (xi) ____ of ______ set forth in the will.
(i) testamentary capacity; (ii) execute; (iii) testator; (iv) minimum age; (v) sound mind; (vi) sound min; (vii) testator; (viii) nature and extent; (ix) natural objects; (x) testamentary act; (x) disposition of property
Even if a (i) ______ meets the general test for (ii) ______ ______, a will may be set aside to the extent that its (iii) _____ are influenced by (iv) ____, (v) ___ ______, (vi) ____ ____, or (vii) _____-
(i) will; (ii) testamentary capacity; (iii) provisions; (iv) duress; (v) undue influence; (vi) insane delusion; (vii) fraud
A (i) ___-_____ ____ is a will provision that purports to (ii) ____ a gift to, or fiduciary appointment of, anyone who (iii) _____ the will. In most states and under the UPC, the provision is (iv) _______ unless the person contesting the will has (v) _____ ______ to do so.
(i) no-contest clause; (ii) rescind; (ii) contests; (iv) enforceable; (v) probably cause
To have (i) _____ to contest a (ii) ____, the person must stand to (iii) ___ ______ financially valuable if the will is defeated or lose something financially valuable if the will stands. At (iv) ___ ____, creditors did not have (v) ____. Under the UPC, an heir, devisee, child, spouse, creditor, beneficiary, or anyone else with a claim against the will may (vi) ______ the ____.
(i) standing; (ii); will; (iii) gain something; (iv) common law; (v) standing; (vi) context the will
A (i) _____ _____ is a (ii) _____ ______ that takes place outside of probate administration, usually during the donor’s (iii) _____. (iv) _____ _______ fall into two broad categories: (v) ____ _____ gifts and will (vi) ___.
(i) non-probate transfer; (ii) donative transfer; (iii) lifetime; (iv) non-probate transfers; (v) inter vivos; (vi) subsitutes
An (i) ____ ___ gift is a gift of (ii) _______ during the donor’s (iii) _____ made without (iv) ______. The donor must (v) ______ the property to the donee with (vi) ____ ____. The donee, in turn, must (vii) ____ the ____.
(i) inter vivos; (ii) property; (iii) lifetime; (iv) consideration; (v) deliver; (vi) donative intent; (vii) accept the gift
A (i) ___ _____ is an arrangement under which (ii) ____ or (iii) _______ rights: (A) are (iv) ____ other than by will; (B) remain largely (v) ____ to the donor’s (vi) _____ and ___ during the donor’s life; and (C) (vii) ____ ____ ____ to the donee upon the donor’s death.
(i) will substitute; (ii) property; (iiI) contractual rights; (iv) created; (v) subject; (vi) enjoyment and control; (vii) transfer outside probate
Common (i) ___ ___ includes inter vivos (ii) _____, life insurance, pension accounts, employee-benefit accounts, multi-party bank accounts, payable-on-death designations, joint tenancies with right of survivorship, and annuities with death benefits.
(i) will substitutes; (ii) trusts
(i) ____ _____ is a mode of concurrently owning (ii) ___ or ____ _____ that features a (iii) ____ of _____. When one concurrent owner dies, the owner’s interest instantly (iv) _____ – it cannot be subject to (v) _____ or transferred by (vi) _____. The other concurrent owner’s interest then (vii) ______ _____. The last (viii) _____ among the concurrent owners owns the property in full.
(i) joint tenancy; (ii) real or personal property; (iii) right of survivorship; (iv) vanishes; (v) probate; (vi) will; (vii) enlarges proportionately; (viii) survivor
A (i) _____ _____, also termed a (ii) ______ trust, is a bank account on which the depositor has designated himself as trustee for a named (iii) _____. The trust (iv) ____ ______ during the depositor’s life. However, the named beneficiary is entitled to any funds on deposit in the account at the (v) _____’s ____. The funds pass to the beneficiary (vi) ____ the ____ ______.
(i) tentative account; (ii) Totten; (iii) beneficiary; (iv) fully revocable; (v) depositor’s death; (vi) outside the probate process
A (i) ____-on-____ account is a financial account (A) that is (ii) _____ in the (iii) ______’s name and (B) whose (iv) ____ ______ provide that the account balance is payable to a (v) _____ _____ on the depositor’s death. Upon the depositor’s death, the funds (vi) ____ according to the (vii) ______ _____. The funds pass (viii) ____ ____ and thus are never part of the depositor’s (ix) ____.
(i) pay-on-death; (ii) carried; (iii) depositor’s; (iv) governing documents; (v) designated beneficiary; (vi) pass; (vii) account documents; (viii) outside probate; (ix) estate
(i) _____ _____ is an arrangement in which the (ii) ___ party contracts with an (iii) ______ so that, in exchange for premium payments during the (iv) _____’s life, the (v) _____ will pay a stated amount to a (vi) _____ _____ upon the insured’s death. The proceeds pass directly to the (vii) ______ under the terms of the (viii) _____ _____ ____ and are never party of the insured’s (ix) ______ _____.
(i) life insurance; (ii) insured; (iii) insurer; (iv) insured’s; (v) insurer; (vi) designated beneficiary; (vii) beneficiary; (viii) life insurance policy; (ix) probate estate