wills

Ameliorative waste refers to modifications that increase the value of property made by a tenant who failed to obtain the landowner or future interest holder’s permission.

• property law

To amend is to make a change by adding, subtracting, or substituting. For example, one can amend a statute, a contract, the United States Constitution, or a pleading filed in a lawsuit. Generally, procedures dictate the way in which one amends a specific item.

An ancestor is a predecessor in the family.

• property

Ancillary administration is the performance of ancillary probate which is a proceeding for estate assets located in another state than where the deceased lived. Each state has its own property laws, so administrators of estates must have a probate proceeding in each state that assets are located in a will. 

Ancillary probate is a secondary proceeding required in another state than the original probate proceeding. This secondary proceeding is required where the deceased left property or assets in more than one state, and because each state has different property laws, a probate proceeding must be made in each state where property is located. 

[Last reviewed in June of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]

Anti-contest clauses (also known as in terrorem clauses, contest clauses, no-contest clauses, noncontest clauses, and forfeiture clauses) in a will prevent a 

Anti-lapse statutes are laws enacted in every state that prevent bequests from lapsing when the intended beneficiary has relatives covered by the statute.

• trusts and estates

Anti-lapse statutes are laws enacted in every state that prevent bequests from lapsing when the intended beneficiary has relatives covered by the statute.

The applicable exclusion amount (also known as unified credit) refers to the total gifts and estate transfers exempted from an individual’s gift and estate taxes. Every U.S. citizen has an applicable exclusion amount for all gifts made inter vivos or estate transfers at death.

In the context of a power of appointment, the appointees are the individuals selected by the donee from the objects of the power.

• trusts and estates