Making Your Estate Lawsuit-Proof

After a family member dies, his or her family members will often question provisions of the will. Typically, this questioning will often lead to vicious lawsuits. This article in Forbes discussed ways to make an estate lawsuit proof. First, if possible, treat siblings equally. Trouble often erupts when people with the same degree of relationship to the decedent are not treated equally. People often become hurt or angry when they believe that they are not treated fairly. Even if you would prefer an unequal distribution, it may make more sense to utilize equal distributions as a defensive move. Second, decide who gets which treasures. Most people simply provide that their tangible personal property be divided among their beneficiaries. However, fights often emerge over particularly valuable or sentimental pieces of property. Determine which pieces of property are likely to cause trouble, and decide which beneficiary should receive each. Finally, keep track of any loans or advances that you make to your beneficiaries. Consider whether you would like loans to be forgiven or repaid at your death. Moreover, you may wish to factor the amount of loans and advances into how you distribute your assets between your heirs. If you would like help creating an estate plan by using some of the methods discussed above, please contact us at 818.956.9200.