In light of the recent concerns regarding the Covid-19 virus, protecting our clients and their legacies remains our most important focus. We are encouraging all current and future clients to meet with us via phone or video conference. Please contact our office to discuss your options.
When someone you love is near death or has passed away, the last thing you want to deal with is litigation. However, you’ve started noticing that objects that were once in their home aren’t there when you visit. Items that should be split among the heirs seem to be...
Most families assume it could never happen to them, but estrangement and estate battles are all too common when the administrator of an estate is playing fast and loose with the rules that govern a decedent’s estate. If you are not the administrator, it may be...
When someone dies and their estate plans hold some unpleasant surprises, you might consider challenging their will. Before you announce your intention to do so, however, give yourself time to decide if it is the right thing to do. Will contests can create significant...
You may think that the only people who should care about estate planning are the lucky few with six- or seven-digit incomes, a lavish mansion in an exclusive suburb and a flashy sports car or two in the driveway. In fact, estate planning is a sound idea for anyone who...
You’ve worked hard to build your wealth, and you’d like to keep it in your family after you’re gone. Of course, you also want to minimize the estate taxes owed by your loved ones. One means of doing that is through a generation-skipping trust (GST). Let’s look at what...
When people start getting older, sometimes they need to rely on others. Whom they rely on is just as important as how those people help them. There have been many times when the elderly have relied on the wrong people, and their families found out too late. They may...
Many people move out to the Pacific Northwest looking for a change in pace to advance their careers or retire. While many new residents plan for many things, revisiting their estate plan that they originally drafted in another state usually isn't one of them --...
Estate disputes have many causes, ranging from a will appearing to be fake to heirs wondering if their parent even had the mental capacity to write a will at the end of their life. There are usually solutions that can be found, but one of the most difficult situations...
A contest over the contents of someone's will can happen for many reasons -- but some family situations are actually more likely to result in disputes than others. You may find it interesting to learn what motivates these kinds of family disputes after a loved one's...
Many people who accept the role of executor for family and friends agree to serve in that capacity without seeking compensation. There may be little money in the estate and the duties may be perfunctory enough that there is no need to seek payment. But then there are...
