Thorough estate planning includes more than a set of documents. It includes a plan for how your estate will be managed — who will play important roles in representing the interests of children or at-risk adults, who will be assigned to handle the financial accounting, etc.

Ensuring that your estate is administered efficiently can be a tremendous gift to your executor, heirs and beneficiaries. Our attorneys regularly oversee the administration of estates by serving directly as executors, administrators and trustees.

Further, we routinely represent executors, trustees or the family of deceased persons in connection with the administration of trusts and estates. There are many duties and responsibilities imposed on executors, administrators and trustees, including requirements to file accountings and tax returns, as well as obligations to collect and sell various assets of the estate. Failure to properly comply with such obligations can have serious repercussions, both for the estate and for the individual serving as the personal representative.

In addition to representing trustees, administrators and executors, we also represent beneficiaries of trusts and estates in the event of a dispute regarding the proper management and distribution of such trusts and estates. Our representation of beneficiaries helps to insure that the appointed fiduciary complies with the wishes of the testator or decedent, and helps to limit the chances that the personal representative (intentionally or unintentionally) will favor certain beneficiaries over others.