An Executor’s Guide to Administering an Estate
Estate Planning 101: The Five Most Important Clauses for Wills and Trusts
Top Ten Mistakes Executors Make and How to Avoid Them
Creating a last will and testament is the first step in creating an estate plan – a critical planning tool to ensure that your wishes are honored and that your loved ones are cared for after your death....more
Choosing between a will and a living trust in Washington state can be confusing for various reasons. You may feel that you don’t know which estate planning tool will help you manage your financial portfolio or complex assets....more
The estate-planning process can be stressful and unpleasant. Many people put drafting a will off because they don’t want to think about leaving their loved ones behind. In some cases, people think they don’t need an estate...more
While undue influence claims are commonly asserted in probate proceedings, especially with the increased prevalence of dementia and similar disabilities, two recent cases from New York’s Appellate Division illustrate how...more
In Many v. Ridgely, a decedent’s son and daughter were beneficiaries of her estate. No. 03-21-00520-CV, 2023 Tex. App. LEXIS 8189 (Tex. App.—Austin October 27, 2023, no pet. history)...more
When thinking of creating an estate plan, here are a few things to consider before finalizing your final wishes: Should you create a Will or a Trust? The essential difference between a will and a trust is that a...more
DURING YOUR LIFE - When preparing your estate plan, it is of utmost importance to ensure that you have documents in place so your spouse or another trusted individual can make medical and financial decisions on your...more
Winstead Shareholder David F. Johnson participated in a panel presentation entitled “When One Is Not Enough: Dividing Fiduciary Powers and Dispositions” for the State Bar of Texas’s 29th Advanced Estate Planning Strategies on...more
A lot of my work as an estate planning attorney is talking with clients to get a thorough understanding of their assets, family, and planning goals so I can help them carry out those goals. Something I hear frequently, which...more
Asset protection - How to shield your wealth from lawsuits and creditors - Much of estate planning focuses on transferring your wealth to loved ones in a taxefficient manner. But for many people, it’s equally important...more
Executing a codicil may be the answer - For most people, the first step in estate planning is to create a legally enforceable will. If you already have a will in place, consider yourself ahead of the game, but you’re far...more
Following the untimely death last year of his father Big Daddy Bux due to COVID-19, brother Hustler Bux was appointed independent executor of Big Daddy’s Will. When Hustler asked for a judicial discharge, sister Kathy...more
Getting remarried? Understand your spouse’s inheritance rights - If you’re getting remarried, you may have very different expectations than you did when you married the first time, especially when it comes to estate...more
The term “probate” is one you may have heard and might associate with negative connotations, but you don’t fully understand what it is. For some, the term conjures images of lengthy delays waiting for wealth to be transferred...more
A fiduciary is a fancy legal term for the person who will take care of your property for you if you are unable to do it yourself, such as the executor of an estate, the trustee of a trust, or an attorney-in-fact under a power...more
California’s probate process aims to expeditiously identify and resolve the claims of creditors against decedents. Creditors who are unsophisticated, or who simply do not learn of the decedent’s passing, may find themselves...more
The Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Newsletter compiles recent Trust & Estate cases. Our lawyers are at the forefront of this area of the law, shaping how it is handled in the Probate and Family Court. ...more
Born in Fresno, Kirk Kerkorian was an Armenian-American who went on to become a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, known for his role in shaping development in Las Vegas. After Kerkorian died in June 2015 at the age of...more