Investors sue Countrywide to force loans purchase (Reuters)
Reuters - A group of bond investors on Monday sued Bank of America -owned Countrywide Financial demanding that Countrywide buy every mortgage loan for which it agrees to reduce the payments under a predatory lending settlement agreement.
General Growth Properties gets loan reprieve (AP)
AP - General Growth Properties Inc. has received a two-week extension on mortgage loans totaling $900 million, as the troubled shopping mall owner works to stave off bankruptcy and negotiate longer-term extensions with lenders.
RBS to give struggling homeowners more time to pay (AP)
AP - Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC said Monday it would give homeowners who miss mortgage payments at least six months before starting repossession action — double the three months it used to give.
Meltdown far from over, new mortgage crisis looms (AP)
<p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081128/ap_on_bi_ge/meltdown_coming_soon"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20081128/capt.e0c64b0b286e4a63802e5fff640bb3d1.holiday_shopping_pabb109.jpg?x=130&y=109&q=85&sig=aJ132RA7sfQlFxpb7tOb4w--" align="left" height="109" width="130" alt="The Vanity Fair Outlet stores opened at 12:01 a.m. EST for Black Friday sales has shoppers seeking bargins and discounts Nov. 28, 2008 in Reading, Pa. (AP Photos/Bradley C Bower)" border="0" /></a>AP - Black Friday's retail shoppers hunting for holiday bargains won't be enough to stave off what's likely to become the next economic crisis. Malls from Michigan to Georgia are entering foreclosure, commercial victims of the same events poisoning the housing market.</p><br clear="all"/>


one a family member, the other a lawyer, bank or trust company. The role involves filing tax returns, investing assets and valuing and selling (or retaining) property. The job of estate settlement includes submitting the Will for probate (proof of validity), safeguarding and inventorying all your assets and liabilities, paying your debts and taxes, and then distributing what is left as your Will directs.

One of your most important decisions is your choice of Executor. Even the best-laid plans will fail if the individual you select is not up to the job. An Executor should be:

1. Trustworthy.

2. Willing, and have the time to act.

3. Impartial toward all beneficiaries.

4. Able to make decisions in a timely fashion.

5. Proficient in business, investment and administrative matters at a level sufficient to handle your estate.

6. Knowledgeable and experienced in estate and trust law and administration.

7. Ideally, your Executor should be younger than you

Tips

• Name an alternate in case your Executor cannot act or dies before you

• An Executor, whether an independent professional or a family member, is entitled to reasonable fee from the estate

• Ask the person first to make sure they understand all the duties involved

If you do not have a Will, or if your Will has not been updated recently, perhaps it is time to meet with a lawyer and get the job done. Take the first step; call Ontario March of Dimes

toll-free at 1-800-263-3463 x 383 for a free copy of "My Personal Organizer" - a handy tool

About The Author

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Editors: These articles are for use in Ontario only

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