If you need help with a will, estate or trust problem, we are here for you.
Dealing with these issues can be emotionally draining and complicated. Hobbs Giroday’s lawyers have over 70 years of combined experience helping individuals and families overcome these obstacles.
If you need assistance, your matter likely falls under one of three practice areas:
- Estate/Trust Litigation;
- Estate Administration; or
- Estate Planning.
Estate/Trust Litigation
Estate litigation is a complex area of law that is often financially driven and emotionally charged. As a result, estate litigators require a unique skillset that combines determined focus and creativity in mediation and negotiation as well as a meticulous understanding of estate law and family dynamics. Hobbs Giroday prides itself on embodying these characteristics and consistently delivering exceptional results to our clients. We can assist individuals with estate disputes that involve:
- Unequal inheritance/disinheritance of spouse or child
- Coercion or undue influence of the deceased
- Lack of capacity
- Contesting a gift
- Challenging an executor
- Validity of Will or Trust
- Collapsing a Trust
- Unjust enrichment
- Committeeship applications/disputes
- Misuse of power of attorney or representation agreement
Estate Administration
Before an executor can perform his or her appointed role, the will must be proven as the last will of the deceased. Probate is the process of proving the will and ensuring that the estate is transferred in an orderly manner. If a deceased does not leave a will, or there is a will but the executor is unwilling or unable to act, then an individual, usually the spouse or child of the deceased, must apply for a grant of administration. These processes are similar but not identical.
Applying for probate or a grant of administration involves important duties such as inventorying property and paying off the deceased’s debts. If you have been appointed as the executor, or you wish to apply for a grant of administration, consulting with one of our lawyers will help simplify the process and ensure your compliance with all legal requirements.
Estate Planning
It’s understandable that people often put off planning their personal and financial affairs as the subject matter can seem thorny and complicated. It doesn’t have to be.
At Hobbs Giroday we strive to make this process as effortless as possible which starts with our approach: having an estate plan is very important and gives you a measure of control over significant decisions that affect your life and the lives of your loved ones.
In order to organize the most suitable estate plan for you, we thoroughly review your personal and financial circumstances and then customize the documents that best achieve this result. The documents we can prepare include Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney and Representation Agreements. Our goal is to make this process as efficient as possible and leave you with a feeling of ease that you have planned your estate according to your wishes.