Extraordinary Estate Administration
Avoid Pitfalls in Estate Administration
Even the best plans can go astray.
Well-planned estates and trusts also can have unforeseen problems, whether it is a tax issue, disputes with a beneficiary, or problems in managing a particular asset. If you are a trustee or an administrator of an estate, who has come into some kind of problem or dispute in the course of the administration, we can help.
Extraordinary estate administration is one of our areas of particular focus. First and foremost, our attorneys can help you avoid the pitfalls and problems in a trust or estate administration.
We represent trustees, executors, administrators, and attorneys-in-fact under powers of attorney. If you are in this position, and you see problems beginning to arise, contact us; we can help defend your interests and hopefully avoid the need for probate litigation.
These matters are complicated, requiring an experienced, dedicated legal team. For more than 30 years, we have been helping our Indiana clients with extraordinary estate administration issues.
Complicated Estate Issues
Attorney Steve Williams is an American College of Trust and Estate Counsel fellow and a member of the Fort Wayne Estate Planning Council.
Attorneys Steve Williams and Nathan Williams have been certified as Indiana Estate and Trust Lawyers. At Shambaugh, Kast, Beck & Williams, LLP, we have the experience and knowledge to help you through these complicated estate administration problems.
We have experience working with personal representatives and trustees, handling the complex issues that include:
Business
Business ownership interests add layers of complexity to the administration of an estate or trust.
Complicated taxation issues: Especially when there is a great deal of property involved, taxation issues are best left in the hands of estate planning specialists. We have extensive experience dealing with the tax issues involved with extraordinary estate administration, including income, estate or inheritance tax audits, and resolving disputes with taxing authorities.
Agency problems
Issues can arise involving guardianships, conservatorships, powers of attorney or other agency relationships. Sometimes there are signs of self-dealing or breach of fiduciary responsibility. Sometimes the numbers just don't match up. We have experience and expertise in avoiding these problems, and in helping to resolve them once they have arisen.
Will Contests
If a beneficiary believes that a will or trust was improper for some reason, he or she may dispute the will. Sometimes the claim is undue influence or lack of capacity on the part of the testator. We have experience and expertise in helping to resolve these issues on behalf of fiduciaries and on behalf of dissatisfied beneficiaries. We help our clients to prepare for probate litigation, while seeking an agreed resolution through negotiation and mediation where appropriate.
Trust and Estate Disputes
If a beneficiary feels that a trustee or personal representative has not administered a trust or estate properly, the beneficiary may seek to hold the trustee or personal representative liable for a breach of fiduciary duty. We have experience and expertise in helping our trustee and personal representative clients administer the trust or estate in such a way as to avoid or effectively deal with such allegations. We also have experience and expertise in working with beneficiary clients to hold fiduciaries accountable for the administration of a trust or estate. We help our clients to prepare for probate litigation, while seeking an agreed resolution through negotiation and mediation where appropriate.
Whenever a problem is brewing in the area of estate and trust administration, it is always best to contact us and get a lawyer involved as soon as possible. Whether through simple negotiation, mediation or arbitration, we help trustees and estate administrators resolve these issues early, before they develop to the point where probate litigation is the only remaining option.
We can represent your interests in any type of extraordinary estate administration issue. Contact our Fort Wayne law firm office to schedule an initial consultation with one of our experienced Indiana estate administration lawyers.