A will or trust contest can derail your final wishes, rapidly deplete your estate, and tear your loved ones apart. But with proper planning, you can help your family avoid a potentially disastrous will or trust contest.
If you’re concerned about challenges to your estate plan, consider the following:
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1. Do Not Attempt “Do It Yourself” Solutions.
If you’re concerned about heirs contesting your estate plan, the last thing you want to do is attempt to write or update your will or trust on your own. Only an experienced estate planning attorney can help you put together and maintain an estate plan that will discourage lawsuits and ensure all legal formalities are followed.
2. Let Family Members Know About Your Estate Planning.
When it comes to estate planning, secrecy breeds contempt. While it is not necessary to let your family members know all of the intimate details of your estate plan, you should let them know that you have taken the time to create a plan that spells out your final wishes and who they should contact if you become incapacitated or die.
3. Use Discretionary Trusts for Problematic Beneficiaries.
You may want to completely disinherit a beneficiary. This may be because of concerns that they’ll squander their inheritance, or use it in a harmful way. However, there is an alternative to disinheriting someone. For example, you can place the problematic beneficiary’s share in a lifetime discretionary trust with a neutral third party as trustee.
This ensures that the beneficiary receives their inheritance according to the terms and conditions you’ve dictated. Meanwhile it also keeps money out of the hands of unintended parties, such as creditors or an ex-spouse. You can also control who inherits the balance of the trust if the beneficiary dies before all funds are distributed.
4. Keep your estate plan up to date.
Estate planning is not a one-time transaction – it is an ongoing process. Therefore, as your circumstances change, you should update your estate plan. An up-to-date estate plan shows that you have taken the time to review and revise your plan as your family and financial situations change. This, in turn, will discourage challenges since your plan will encompass your current estate planning goals.
By following these four tips, your heirs will be less likely to challenge your estate planning decisions and will be more inclined to fulfill your final wishes. If you are concerned about heirs contesting your will or trust, please contact Lewman Law as soon as possible.
About John Lewman
