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Estate Planning › Trust Amendments

Estate Planning is a process where individuals prepare or plan for the settlement of their personal affairs in the event of incapacitation or death. Estate plans typically include provisions relating to the... more +
Estate Planning is a process where individuals prepare or plan for the settlement of their personal affairs in the event of incapacitation or death. Estate plans typically include provisions relating to the disposition of assets, guardianship of minor children, and appointment of representatives to make medical and financial decisions. Effective estate planning can decrease tax liability and facilitate the probate process.  less -
Downey Brand LLP

Didn’t Stick the Landing: Despite Legal Artistry, You Still Can’t Amend a Trust with an Electronic Signature

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Regular readers of this blog have already noted my particular enthusiasm for creativity in legal arguments. I am not a judge (Hi Judge Galvin!), but if I were, I would be sorely tempted to pattern my unique brand of...more

Patton Sullivan Brodehl LLP

California Supreme Court Clarifies Trust Amendment Rules for Conflicts Between Trust Terms and the Probate Code

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The California Supreme Court recently addressed the complexities surrounding trust amendments in the case of Haggerty v. Thornton (2024) 15 Cal.5th 729. The case settled the confusion over potential conflicts between trust...more

Warner Norcross + Judd

Can a Court Change the Beneficiaries of a Trust if Estate Planning Changes Were Intended but not Accomplished Before Death?

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A person communicates a desire to make estate planning changes in the future but dies before the changes are made. Can a court modify or reform a trust to give effect to this intent? No. In re Brody Trust, Docket No 362214...more

Downey Brand LLP

He Who Has the Gold Does Not Always Rule–Court Reinforces Trustee’s Duty of Neutrality

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It has become more common for trustors to select someone who is not a beneficiary of the trust estate, often a close relative, to serve as trustee. While the “crown” of trusteeship imbues that trustee with tempting powers –...more

Downey Brand LLP

Trustees Beware: The Line Between Protected and Wasteful Litigation Is Thinner Than You Think

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This blog has devoted a lot of real estate to the use of anti-SLAPP motions in California trust and estate litigation. Though the courts’ treatment of such motions is varied and oftentimes unpredictable, Californians can...more

Downey Brand LLP

Elder Abuse Restraining Orders May Prevent Estate Planning Changes

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Can a California court stop others from changing an elder’s estate plan?  Yes, in extreme circumstances, suggests a case arising from conflict in a blended family over which side would benefit from an elder’s trust....more

Burns & Levinson LLP

Powers of Appointment: Adding Flexibility to an Estate Plan

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The saga of the Smith and Alexander families continues with a discussion of powers of appointment and the implications of Johnny’s exercise of the limited power of appointment granted to him under his parents’ Family Trust....more

Holland & Hart LLP

Arbitration Clause Held Not Enforceable as to the Validity of the Trust Amendment

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There has been considerable discussion regarding including arbitration clauses in estate planning documents over recent years. Some estate and trust attorneys are actively pushing for the inclusion of such clauses. Recently,...more

Downey Brand LLP

Don’t Rely on a Post-It® Note to Amend Your California Trust

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A key feature of a California revocable trust is that it can be amended. Revising a trust can, however, seem like an irksome chore so it’s common for creators of trusts (i.e., “settlors” or “trustors”) to shrug off an...more

Downey Brand LLP

Elder Abuse Is Not a Trojan Horse – Bad Faith Must Be Shown for Double Damages Under Probate Code Section 859

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Probate Code section 859, our subject in a recent post, packs a punch in California trust litigation. It awards double damages against someone who in bad faith wrongfully takes property from an elder, in bad faith takes...more

Downey Brand LLP

When Defending Becomes Offensive: California Court Expands No Contest Clauses to Defense of Invalid Amendment

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No contest clauses are included in wills and trusts to discourage dissatisfied beneficiaries from challenging the document’s validity. Because enforcement of these clauses results in disinheritance, the California Probate...more

McGuireWoods LLP

North Carolina Changes Trust Code and Permits “Living Probate”

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On August 11th, Governor McCrory signed North Carolina Senate Bill 336, Act to Amend the Law Governing Estate Planning and Fiduciaries (the “Act”). Notably, the Act adopts a procedure for living probate in North Carolina and...more

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