Practice Areas
Ask me about planning for companion animals.
Estate Planning
I help individuals and families design comprehensive estate plans, including wills and trusts. An “estate plan” is not just for wealthy individuals. It is planning effectively for life’s inevitable transitions, which is something we all need to do.
Proper estate planning provides peace of mind for you and your family, knowing that you have:
Designated individuals to help with medical and financial transactions if you become incapacitated;
Named beneficiaries who may be different from those the law would name in the absence of planning; and
Designated those who will implement your plan after your death .
Estate planning is not one-size-fits-all. The appropriate plan is the one that is based on your specific situation.
Individual considerations may include planning for minor or adult children, companion animals, a business transition, preserving assets for children from a previous marriage, distributing assets for those who don’t have children, and making charitable bequests.
Probate
Because it is a court-supervised process, probate can be a complex legal burden for grieving families. It starts when the named executor or another interested person petitions the court to be appointed executor (if there is a will) or administrator (if there is no will) and publishes notice of the petition. After the court names the executor, the executor must meet a number of court-supervised deadlines with documentation filed in the appropriate court format. I provide counsel and advice to executors, administrators, and other survivors, as well as representing executors and beneficiaries in court. I prepare and file appropriate paperwork, facilitate the process, meet court deadlines, and implement all of the steps necessary to complete the process as efficiently as possible.
Often, during the probate process, certain assets are identified which may not be subject to the court-supervised probate. I also assist with identifying these, communicating with the asset holders, and collecting the proceeds for the proper beneficiary(ies).
Trust Administration
Trust administration is the process of maintaining one or more ongoing trusts for specific beneficiaries, or closing out and fully distributing a trust after the settlor’s death. It usually does not involve court supervision. But there are legal requirements that need to be followed. Both trustees and beneficiaries can benefit from legal representation.
The trust administration process involves notifying beneficiaries, identifying and collecting trust assets, having the assets appraised, paying debts (and taxes, if any), providing beneficiaries with accountings, and distributing the assets to beneficiaries (which includes the preparation of specific legal documents regarding the distributions).
Some trust administration is usually necessary for a married couple with a trust when the first spouse dies. Although it may be minimal, depending on how the trust is structured, it is important to be sure that you take the appropriate actions.