Administration of a trust or estate can be a thankless job for a fiduciary (personal representative or trustee) that undertakes that burden. Our full-service estate planning practice includes services necessary to administer and settle estates and trusts and defend or contest the administration of estates and trusts as needed.
The loss of a loved one is life changing. We assist clients in settling estates, including the preparation and filing of pleadings and other documents in the appropriate probate court, preparation of inventories and appraisals (with use of qualified appraisers and valuation experts), settlement of claims, preparation or coordination of decedents’ final income tax returns, preparation or coordination of fiduciary income tax returns, preparation or coordination of estate and inheritance tax returns (including IRS Form 706 and IRS Form 709), participation in any audit of such returns, preparation and review of accountings, interpretation of wills (including allocation of assets to marital dispositions) and distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
We provide advice to trustees with regard to the performance of their duties as trustees and their investment, tax, and accounting responsibilities. We assist with the preparation of fiduciary income tax returns and, in the case of revocable living trusts, the preparation of estate and inheritance tax returns upon the death of the trustor. As with estates, we participate in any audit of such returns. We represent trustees with respect to the interpretation of trust provisions and, upon termination of the trust, the distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
We represent professional and individual fiduciaries and beneficiaries in a wide range of litigation involving trusts and estates. We have the capability and experience to handle estate and trust litigation of all sizes and complexity. In our experience, estate and trust litigation is not something to dabble in as fiduciary law and probate procedure may does not track the law and process that applies in many commercial litigation contexts. We represent personal representatives and trustees in will and trust contests and in administration. We have experience mediating cases, pushing through discovery, and trying cases where the parties are unable to agree on a resolution otherwise. If you feel a personal representative or trustee has wronged you, or if you are a personal representative or trustee dealing with unreasonable demands of a beneficiary (or disinherited sibling, friend, or prior spouse), or if your spouse cut you out of his or her will or trust—please call us. We offer you a free consultation and, depending on the circumstances, may be able to offer you flexible fee arrangements.
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