Friday, June 29, 2012

The African American Contribution To Family Reunion Planning

It seems of late that many families who seldom considered coming together as one big fat family are giving it serious thought. So who's behind the growing sensation to celebrate family ties igniting the family reunion fire? Is it an African American sensation that's gaining momentum such momentum that other cultures are falling in line or are other factors causing the great family reunion movement? Lets examine the hype vs. the facts.

One factor leading to the opinion that the family reunion movement orginates with African American families is a considerable amount of media blitz centered around African American family reunion celebrations.

Genealogy Family Trees

A recent blockbuster movie called Madea's Family Reunion centered on social issues impacting an African American family in need of strength and support made possible only from a reunion of four generations of family. If anything the movie ignited controversy regarding the quality of relationships and how to deal with strained marital relationships and juvenile discipline issues. Still Tyler Perry's movie, featuring world renowned award winning actress Cicely Tyson and Philanthropist/ Poet and writer Maya Angelou and the ever popular Blair Underwood, is now in the main stream of American entertainment and with that the issues associated with family life and family reunion events.

The African American Contribution To Family Reunion Planning

Hype Factor: The Media seems to crank out more top 10 hits based on family reunions by Black artists than others. Among the more popular songs about family reunion celebrations are the following:

The Ojays "Family Reunion". Al Greens "Love and Happiness", Sly & The Family Stones "It's a family affair", "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge reached #2 in 1979, Lionel Richies recent award winning album "Coming Home" with 75,000 copies sold in its first week out. And then there are the scores of line dance remixes by black artists.

Aside from the hype factor surrounding family reunions celebrated by African Americans in the entertainment world over the past 30 years there are other significant underlying reasons as to what is igniting the fire to celebrate ones family ties.

Fact: There are long-time family traditions dating back to the early 1700's and beyond including family quilt making, family song and dance themes that have migrated into American culture along with the people who brought it. These include Russians, Jews, Africans, Indians and others of Scottish and Irish decent.

Fact: Not only is family reunion a popular theme among blacks artists, family unity has been an ongoing subject in popular country western music since it's inception into the music market. Family celebration themes can be found in the music of most American cultures.

There is a growing sensation sparking family reunion celebrations with various themes, from the traditional homestead celebration to genealogy tours. One of the factors contributing to this is the ability to research ones roots using genealogy tools featured on many sites online. The Internet is fairly teaming with surname lookup search engines, archives and libraries helping the novice/amateur and professional genealogist dig deeper than ever before finding buried historic treasures previously untapped.

Many foreign and civil governments programs have become more cooperative regarding Assisting groups and individuals to locate long missing family members. Council directives on the right to family reunification are designed to give support to families separated by government and social boundaries. Family reunion immigration programs have made a significant contribution to sparking family reunion celebrations of late.

Adoption agencies have begun working closely with Adoption search agencies to reunite long missing siblings and parents with children. Such unions often trigger a desire to go the whole gamut and bring grands, aunts, uncles and cousins together. The strong sentiments behind uniting missing family members often ignite a powerful desire to celebrate family unity that can last for generations.

Do these factors indicate that genealogy research, government and foreign policy more strongly influence the family reunion sensation of the day? Not necessarily. Education along with large social events must also be considered. Of note is the Family Reunion Institute at Temple University in Philadelphia, the only institute of its kind in the country that is dedicated to serving as a resource to families planning reunions and helps keep the reunion tradition alive.

On a social level the Annual Tom Joyner Family Reunion sponsored by none other than Uncle Ben's is dedicated to awareness of the family unit. A recent city-wide family reunion celebration led Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode to proclaim it "Black Family Reunion Day" among the estimated 200,000 persons who attended.

There is the Annual Ebony Black Family Reunion Tour to inspire black families to come together," says Nichole Taylor it's president. Other major events include The Annual African American Family Reunion and Cultural Festival and the 19th Annual Midwest Regional Black Family Reunion Celebration in Cincinnati, OH.

There are also the growing offerings of special family reunion tours, genealogy related travel and cruise packages featured by top travel and hospitality agencies that are keeping the embers burning.

That said, it must be acknowledged that African American institutions along with other social, government and foreign policy programs have made significant contributions to the popularity of traditional and not so traditional family reunion celebrations of today. These combined contributions have impacted social events and caused a stir seemingly for the better as the interests in family reunions appear to be charged and growing.

"The tradition of uniting the family in order to publicly celebrate births, memorialize deaths, speak of legends, make social and family contributions is a thing imprinted on the mind, heart and soul of many communities both predominantly black and otherwise the world over." says Mark Askew, founder of the Family Reunion Planner resource at http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net.

For families of various ethnic persuasions the uniting of generations of family members is a universal family tradition that's been alive and well since the chronicling of oral and written family history began. Still what we learn from the African American family reunion tradition is the need to keep the fires burning, drawing strength, support and building strong family sentiments that hone the skills of family unity for generations to come.

If you're thinking of having a family reunion there are many software and book titles that can guide you through the process of planning, organizing and throwing a memorable family reunion.

The African American Contribution To Family Reunion Planning

Mark A. Askew, pin name Marcus Angelo, is founder of Fimark.net, an event planning resource featuring the award winning Fimark Family Reunion Planner, a family reunion planning organizer for reunion planners who wish to implement a time and money saving organized approach to planning and executing a successful family reunion. The site at http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net offers award winning reunion planning software, tips, tools and free reunion stuff giveaways.

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Free Obituary Search Tips - How to Find Obituaries Online Without Paying a Dime!

Trying to find public records, like an obituary listings, can be a trying process if you are not familiar with where to look, or what resources are available. Here are some places to get started:

Newspaper obituaries

Genealogy Family Trees

There are a couple of options on how to search for a newspaper obituary. Going to different newspapers or libraries to look at microfilm, is a little unreasonable. In the late 90's, most newspapers started to digitize their obituaries, so that they can easily be found on the newspapers home site. However, the archives are often limited in dates. Most newspaper home sites do not have any obituaries listed prior to the late 90s.

Free Obituary Search Tips - How to Find Obituaries Online Without Paying a Dime!

Libraries and Universities have wonderful online archives that are comprised from several resources. There you will find a search engine with multiple listings for old and new obituaries.

Then there are online search portals like Ancestry.com. that provide a one stop shop. Search portals will automatically redirect you to other sites. You will not have to type each site into your browser. The National Obituary Archive has over 55 million obituary entries, making it one of the largest newspaper obituary archives.

Genealogy Banks

The LDS church has one of the largest genealogy record databases in the world. Genealogy records provide: birth dates, death dates, and family history information. Be careful here, the spelling must be exact. It is completely free to search. The dates are not limited. The LDS records have listings as far back as people have been able to trace their genealogy.

There are multiple other genealogy banks, but most of them draw their information from the LDS site, or newspapers.

Social Security Death Index

Search engines like Locate Records.com or Roots web provide you with a tool to search by name or social security number. If you use a name, the site will list all the people by that name, their state, death, birth, SS#, and where the info was retrieved from. The Search is free, but to order the record carries a small fee. Most of these are using the Social Security Death Index, which only has records after the 60s.

These should get you off to a good start for an online obituary search.

Free Obituary Search Tips - How to Find Obituaries Online Without Paying a Dime!

To Conduct Your Own Obituary Search or Free Death Record Search, Visit the Death Records Directory Today at http://deathrecordsonline.org!

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Friday, June 22, 2012

People, Places and Events - History is Your Friend in Genealogy Searches

TIP:  Keep a file folder of maps, dates and places handy!
 
Were you like me in high school?  I hated all those historical events, places, and dates that we were told to memorize.   So, I would dutifully memorize them for an exam and then, promptly forget them!  I never had a reason to use those dates, names, places, events after school, so they seem to have disappeared out of my memory.
 
Oh dear, I am building my family tree and am running into many challenges.  For example, right now, I am researching my greatgrandfather's military service - there is a family story that he fought in the Spanish-American War - but I have no idea when the Spanish American War began, except that it was before 1900.   It would obviously be very helpful to have those dates in a simple chart of dates/places/names of wars or skirmishes.
 
Here is another common problem in many countries:  states, provinces and counties changed boundaries, changed names, or became official entities at specific dates and how can anyone possibly remember which or when!   Is it important?  Oh yes!   For example, if a particular Canadian province wasn't formed until 1906, I cannot expect to find a government birth registration for a child born there in 1894.   I will have to look elsewhere for that information.   I have a family in England who have their birth, marriage, death registrations, plus census records showing the same town in two different counties at various times.  I thought it was a silly error, until I found out that the county boundary changed several times.  Maps of boundary changes are now my friend!
 
Over the years, I have learned to gather both specific and general maps of relevant areas and dates.  This way, I will have more success finding my ancestors in the correct places at the times they may have lived there. And I understand what kinds of resources I might search for details of an ancestor living in that decade.  
 
For example, I have a sheet detailing dates and places of major events relevant to my particular family history. These include all the dates, places of wars and skirmishes in the U.S., both World Wars, various ship-building centres in the UK, the Irish Famine years and Irish emigration, information on the Palatine emigrations, and so on.  These are my personal history references to turn to when I check the date of immigration, and realize for example that a family came to the USA before Ellis Island was set up to process all immigrants.  Therefore I will not be able to use that specific Ellis Island database, but will need to look in Crystal Garden or other sources for their immigration records.   
 
There are many historical resources which can be very helpful in uncovering your family's particular history.   Start by asking lots of questions:  What was happening at that time, in that decade?  Where exactly were they living?  Is there a history written of that area?  What area of the country was being sold or annexed?  Where was the seat of government, and when was it established?  Where were records kept in that year?  Were there newspapers published in those places?  Where did ships arrive, and from where?   Are there passenger lists available, indexed, online?
 
By asking such questions, I searched and found the record of my grandmother Harriett G. and her 6 children including my dad, sailing to Canada from England on the ship "The Virginian" in November 1914.  I have a photo of this ship as well as an image of the Nov 1914 passenger list in my family binder. 
 
Details such as these make your ancestors' history come alive, and your tree much more intriguing to others in your family. 

Genealogy Family Trees

People, Places and Events - History is Your Friend in Genealogy Searches
People, Places and Events - History is Your Friend in Genealogy Searches

Retired from the fields of individual rehabilitation and family counselling, Celia is excited to offer quality information, resources, and services for beginners in Genealogy. Check out http://www.rootsbasic.com for articles, newsletters, booklets, forms, online links and more on RootsBasic: Genealogy for Beginners.

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Family Tree Worksheet

One of the quickest ways to get your family tree started is with a family tree worksheet. These handy aids to helping you start your family tree are widely available, inexpensive, and can help you understand how family trees are created and organized.

The family tree worksheet usually takes the form of a predesigned family tree that will allow you to fill in the names of family members in the requisite locations, helping you construct your family tree. Beginning with you, it works up to your parents, adds in your siblings, then goes up to your grandparents, then out to your aunts, uncles, cousins, and as many names as that particular worksheet will hold. These sheets are usually fairly extensive, so they will probably use up all the names you can remember before you managed to fill in every square. However, if you need more space, you may not even need a worksheet to continue.

Genealogy Family Trees

Filling in a family tree worksheet is not just a task. It teaches you about family trees as you make one. By running you through design and creation, a family tree worksheet will help you understand how family trees are designed, what they mean, and how you can create your own family tree from scratch. If you want to continue your studies of genealogy and your ancestry, you will have the knowledge you need to construct your family tree correctly. As the family tree is, in many ways, the core of genealogical study by providing a graphical explanation of how everyone fits together, learning the family tree is vital.

Family Tree Worksheet

If you wish to purchase a family tree worksheet, you can find them in a variety of locations both in the malls and online. It does not take too much searching and the worksheets, including instructions, are often relatively inexpensive. Thus, they are an inexpensive way to get your genealogy chart up and running.

Whether you want to put together a small family tree or begin an extensive survey of your familial relationships, you can use a family tree worksheet to get your everything together. For people new to drawing up family trees, they can be an invaluable aid to constructing the forms, connections, and format of this indispensable portion of genealogy. So if you want to learn how to construct your own family tree, the family tree worksheet is a great place to start.

Family Tree Worksheet


Trevor Dumbleton - http://www.familytreeshistory.com/ is a categorized resource directory to help explore the world of genealogy, or family trees, including the history of our ancestors.

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Monday, June 18, 2012

Importance of Human Rights Education

Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive;
easy to govern, but impossible of enslave. ... Henry Peter

World is so beautiful. Human beings is the great and strongest animal in the world. With the help of thing capacity he became a powerful person in the world. Every one has right to live and right to speak.

Genealogy Family Trees

Now we are living in the modern world. Human beings developed in all the fields. But there is a lot of difference among the countries in the world. Co-operation and co-ordination are necessary among these countries. It is necessary and important to educate every one in the world. It is very important to know what is Human Rights.

Importance of Human Rights Education

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was drafted by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights chaired by, then first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. The UDHR was adopted by the 56 member nations of the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. December 10th is now celebrated around the world as International Human Rights Day.There are now 188 member states in United Nations

Everyone has the right to education... Education shall be directed to the full development of human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

The concept underpinning human rights education is that education should not only aim at forming trained, professional workers, but also at contributing to the development of individuals who possess the skills to interact in a society. Human rights education, human rights into education aim at providing pupils and students with the abilities to accompany and produce societal changes. Education is seen as a way to empower people, improve their quality of life and increase their capacity to participate in the decision-making processes leading to social, cultural and economic policies.

Human rights education cannot be reduced to the simple introduction of human rights content in already overburdened curricula. It brings about a profound reform of education, which touches upon curriculum in-service and pre-service training, textbooks, methodology, classroom management, and the organization of the education system at all levels.

Human rights education implies the learning and practice of human rights. A holistic approach to human rights education means that human rights are implemented at all levels of the education system, and that they are taught through both content transmission and experiences.

Education for human rights helps people feel the importance of human rights, internalize human rights values and integrate them into the way they live. Education for human rights also gives people a sense of responsibility for respecting and defending human rights and empowers them, through learned skills, to take appropriate action.

Why Human Rights Education?

1. Produces changes in values and attitudes

2. Produces changes in behaviour

3. Produces empowerment for social justice

4. Develops attitudes of solidarity across issues and nations

5. Develops knowledge and analytical skills 6. Produces participatory education

So give human rights education to every one and save the world.

Importance of Human Rights Education

Name: Naraginti Amareswar Reddy Father Name: N.M.Reddy Date of Birth: Feb 10th 1981 Sex: Male Edu Qua: M.Sc., M.Ed., Research Scholar in Education (Ph.D) Country: India e-mail ID: amareswaran@yahoo.co.in

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Saturday, June 16, 2012

What to Write in Newspaper Obituaries, Death Notices and Funeral Obituaries

There are subtle differences between Newspaper Obituaries, Death Notices and Funeral Obituaries. Knowing what to write for each can save you money, time and frustration. Here is a checklist and description of what is commonly accepted for each type of obituary.

What is an Obituary?

An obituary is a notice that announces the death of someone with a description of the person's life and list of family members. An obituary can be published in a newspaper, online or in the funeral program. There are subtle differences in the obituary based on where it will be published.

Genealogy Family Trees

Writing a Death Notice for a Newspaper.

A newspaper obituary is sometimes called a death notice because it simply announces that the person has passed away and gives funeral information. Before you begin to write, contact the newspaper to find out about length restrictions and costs.

What to Write in Newspaper Obituaries, Death Notices and Funeral Obituaries

In any case, a death notice or a newspaper obituary must be kept brief due to length restrictions. Usually the announcement will contain most of the following:

Full name of the deceased City where they resided Surviving Family Date, time and address of memorial service Date, time and address of burial service Officiating Clergy Memorial contributions to be made in lieu of flowers to: Photo - if there's room

You can find examples of death notices at obituarieshelp.org.

Writing a Newspaper Obituary for the Online Edition

All national and many local newspapers have online editions and will publish newspaper obituaries online for free or for a small fee, depending on the newspaper and the length of the obituary. Make sure you ask before you start to write and also be aware that many major newspapers only allow your obituary to be online for a short while. This can be frustrating to people who look for it after the fact and it makes genealogy and family search difficult at a later date.

When writing a newspaper obituary for the online edition you will have an opportunity to write a little more, but space will still be a consideration for most online newspapers. You'll be able to include the above information, plus the additional information below:

Cause of Death Education Religious Affiliations Professional Memberships Participation in local or national organizations Military Service Occupation and employment history Accomplishments, achievements, awards Publications either written about or by the deceased Hobbies or Activities Acts of humanitarianism
Writing a Funeral Obituary

A funeral obituary can contain as much information as the funeral program will allow. Usually one page of the program is devoted to the obituary and it focuses on the education, accomplishments and activities of the deceased as well as lists surviving friends and family. A funeral obituary is much more personal and tells the story of the person's life more than just the facts of the death and internment. See examples of funeral obituaries at obituarieshelp.org.

A Final Word About Obituaries

No matter how much you're allowed to write, remember that an obituary is not only an announcement of a person's death; an obituary honors the deceased and is their final farewell. It's also a way for people to find out about the deceased's accomplishments and family ties. In many cases, an obituary is the only way for families to know their ancestors and relations. The focus should be on the positive aspects of the person's life. Any negative aspect should be put in the best possible light or omitted.

What to Write in Newspaper Obituaries, Death Notices and Funeral Obituaries

Melanie Walters recommends ObituariesHelp.org for Newspaper Obituaries , free genealogy resources, guides to building a family tree, sample letters of sympathy and condolence, written examples of eulogies as well as help with all aspects of funeral planning.

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Condolence Messages - How to Write Condolence Messages


Condolence messages are a meaningful way to express your sympathy to a friend or loved one who has lost someone close. The best condolence messages are handwritten on nice stationary and convey heartfelt sympathy. But how to you write such a letter? Here are some practical tips for writing a sympathetic condolence letter.

A friend or relative has recently passed away and you want to write a message of condolence to their family. You find a quiet place away from distractions. You get out the pen and paper, sit down to begin writing and...nothing happens. You're mind goes blank. You may even begin to feel the pangs of grief yourself, and become a bit uncomfortable with the whole process. Maybe I'll just send a quick email or e-card you think. Don't worry, you're quite normal.

Genealogy Family Trees

An Email or Handwritten Condolence Message: Which is Best?
Writing a condolence message is not a pleasant task for anyone. Emails and e-cards have become an acceptable means of expressing condolences in our time. Yet a handwritten, heartfelt, short message of condolence can be so much more rewarding to both the recipient and the sender. Handwritten cards and letters are often left on display in the home of the grieving or kept as a remembrance. There's also something about a person's handwriting that conveys a deeper sense of feeling. So stick with your original plan, you'll feel better afterwards, and so will the bereaved.
Condolence Messages - How to Write Condolence Messages
What to Write Your Condolence Message On?
Okay, now you've made up your mind to write a handwritten message. You begin to write, but there's something about this red ink on the lined yellow notepad paper that just doesn't look right. Good instinct! Losing a loved one is a very solemn occasion, so be as conservative and respectful as possible in choosing your increments and stationery or card.
Plain white paper is suitable, though something with a mellow, pastel type floral background or border will be quite soothing. A matching envelope and stationery will show the bereaved that you put some thought and genuine feeling into the process. Blue or black ink is preferable, though try to go with blue, there will be enough black at the funeral. Never Use a pencil. And by no means attempt to alleviate the earnestness of the occasion by sending a humorous card or trying to make light of death in your message.
Write out a Draft of Your Condolence Message First
Writing out a draft on scrap paper is a good way to make sure you say what you want to say. It's also a good way to get out any jitters you might have about writing the message. It's not easy to say exactly what you want the first time, so writing a draft on scrap paper will help you say exactly what you want to say. Once you have your condolence message written out and it sounds good, then get out the nice stationary and copy your final draft.
Use your Neatest Handwriting
For many this will be the first time experiencing death first hand or on such a personal level. It's okay not to be sure what to do or how to go about it. Do be sure that when you begin to write, that you write legibly. A hastily or sloppily written condolence message will be difficult to read, and as heartfelt as it may be, will fail to impart the underlying emotion. Write slowly and clearly in order for your words to be truly felt. So take a deep breath, perhaps put on some soothing music, and begin your message.
How to Start Your Condolence Message?
The salutation is dependent on your relationship with the deceased. If he or she was a co-worker and you didn't know the family, address the condolence message to the closest relative. If it is your friend who has lost a loved one, address the condolence message directly to him or her, not the family. A straightforward opening such as "I was so sorry to hear of the death of your loved one -or the deceased person's name" is fitting.
What Else Should You Say in Your Condolence Message?
You needn't write an essay on the life of the deceased. A brief expression of your condolences: letting them know your thoughts are with them, you're sorry for their loss, is sufficient. If you knew the person well enough to share a happy memory, by all means do so. Offer help and be specific about it. When people are grieving they are in shock and often confused. Take the initiative to let them know you'll be over to cook next week, or mow the lawn.
Ending Your Condolence Message
In closing, sum up your feelings with a sincere expression such as "my prayers are with you" or "my deepest sympathy". Including a short poem or quotation that expresses your feelings can be a nice added touch, and help to express that which you might not be able to in a condolence message.
Condolence Messages - How to Write Condolence Messages
Melanie Walters recommends ObituariesHelp.org for Condolence Messages, sample letters of sympathy and condolence, written examples of eulogies as well as help with all aspects of funeral planning. Also download free genealogy resources and read about building a family tree.
Melanie Walters created http://www.obituarieshelp.org/ to be the complete online resource for sympathy, condolence messages, obituaries, funeral help and genealogy. Free Sample Condolence Messages are available online to help you write your own. Also find family tree templates, newspaper obituaries listings; plan funerals and write sympathy and condolence messages using free samples and guides.
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Friday, June 8, 2012

The Importance of Genealogy

You may think you know what genealogy is, but many individuals confuse it with the closely related term "family history." Genealogy is the study of ancestry and descendants. The study of genealogy pertains only to who is a member of a specific family and who these family members are related to.

Family history, though, is the actual narrative of your ancestors' lives. It is also the act of tracking the dates of your ancestors' births and deaths, the jobs they held, as well as any other important factors in their lives.

Genealogy Family Trees

As you make your family's genealogy chart, it'll be difficult to separate the two. After all, in order to learn who came from where, you'll have to learn a little more about their history as well.

The Importance of Genealogy

Who, what, when, where and how of your family tree is often conveniently labeled genealogy. Keep in mind, however, that an occasional relative who likes to take words literally may correct you when you talk about genealogy in such broad terms.

Why does genealogy matter any way?

Perhaps today it doesn't matter as much as it once did. Especially in this country where - according to legend and tradition - every person at birth gets to start fresh in America. He stands or falls on his own merits, without regard to his family status.

Historically speaking, genealogy was an essential study. After all, it was the method of determining inheritance - especially with the nobility. Imagine the need to discover the next heir in line to a throne if the king had no direct son or daughter to pass his rule down to. The compilation of detailed and accurate genealogical records was of the essence to ensure the proper individuals received the throne.

As you can expect, even with the utmost care, many times in history more than one genealogical record would suddenly appear....throwing the process of crowning the next heir into bedlam.

Genealogy even pops up in the Bible. In the New Testament book of Matthew, he spends pages on what many Sunday school students try to quickly gloss over, "the begats." "Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob" and so it went until you get to - some forty-two generations later - "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus..."

Genealogy plays an important role in the lives of many families today, even when no royalty is involved. The study of this timeless pursuit can help play a decisive role in bringing families torn apart by circumstances beyond their control back together. In the decades immediately following World War II, families found genealogy instrumental in tracing members displaced by the many tragic facets of the war.

There are other reasons families get separated, as well. Consider famines, where some members must flee the country in order to survive. A mother may move away with her children in order to keep them alive. Or perhaps, as in the events leading up to World War II (and beyond), members of families leave in order to save children or the elderly from undue social persecution...or assured death.

In these cases, genealogy plays a major role in making fractured families whole again...even if the current family members didn't know that they had members missing. Thirty some years ago, a novel based on a stunningly simple idea of genealogy gave many African-Americans a new common ancestor, Kunte Kinte, the main character of Alex Haley's book Roots.

The Importance of Genealogy

Bill Turnbull is a genealogy expert. For more great information on Genealogy [http://www.voodoogenealogy.com] visit Researching Family Tree [http://www.voodoogenealogy.com/researching-family-trees]

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Saturday, June 2, 2012

When is Probate Required? - Five Reasons to Go to Probate Court

Will I have to go to probate court? When is probate required? These are common questions people have when someone passes away. Probate laws vary from state to state so it is always a good idea to consult with probate attorneys about whether or not you need to attend probate court. But here is some basic information to help you determine if probate is required. 

What is Probate?

Genealogy Family Trees

In short, probate is the transfer of person's assets after they die. Probate is the legal process of distributing the assets and estate of a deceased person. This includes resolving all issues of probate property like taxes, insurance, title, and paying creditors for any outstanding money owed by the deceased.   Probate is usually applied to large estates or significant sums of money. Assets eligible for probate varies from state to state, country to country. You have to check for specific probate laws or with a probate lawyer in your region to determine if the deceased's assets were significant enough to warrant a probate.

When is Probate Required? - Five Reasons to Go to Probate Court

What is Probate Court?

Probate court is a surrogate court that interprets the will and appoints the executor. Probate judges the validity of claims made against the estate through heirs and beneficiaries as well as taxes and debts. Further reading about probate laws is available at ObituariesHelp.org

When is Probate Required?

There really are only five reasons why you'd have to go to probate court to either make your claim on the deceased's assets or to prove that you are a legal beneficiary. If any one of the following applies to you or to the deceased, then you might want to consult a probate attorney.

1. Probate court is necessary if the will is deemed invalid for one of these reasons:
Improper Execution - it wasn't written clearly or it was not a legal will. Mental Incompetence - the deceased was not mentally competent when he or she made up the will so their decisions are questioned. Undue Influence - the deceased was under duress when he or she wrote up the will.
2. Probate is required if the deceased didn't have a Last Will and Testament. If there is no will, then there has to be a legal and equitable probate court process for distributing the deceased assets and for transferring the title of probate property. The only way to do this is with probate.

3. Probate is required if the assets were owned solely by the deceased.   If there were no other owners or designates of the property or asset, then in most cases the property will have to be probated to get it out of the deceased's name and into the beneficiary's name.

4. Probate is required if the assets were owned as a Tenant in Common or Joint Tenancy.  What this means if the deceased owned property jointly with another person, such as in the case of a common law marriage, then probate is required to ensure that the deceased's share of the property is properly distributed to legal heirs.

5. Probate is required if there are no designated beneficiaries or if all of the beneficiaries have predeceased the decedent. In the case of life insurance policies, retirement funds or certain savings accounts, beneficiaries are usually named. But if all the named beneficiaries have passed away or if the deceased didn't name beneficiaries, then probate is required to transfer the money or title to the beneficiaries.

One thing to remember about knowing when is probate required? Probate is required if there are significant assets to be distributed or creditors to be paid outside of what is legally stated in the will or if there is no will at all.   If any of these five reasons apply to you or your situation, you can expect that probate is required and you'll have to appear in probate court.

When is Probate Required? - Five Reasons to Go to Probate Court

Melanie Walters recommends ObituariesHelp.org for Probate Law Information funeral planning help, obituaries, genealogy resources, guides to building a family tree, and written examples of eulogies.

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