Estate Planning

We have been planning the estates of our clients for many years. Our estate administration practice is efficient and timely.

RPB has been planning the estates of its clients for decades. Our estate planning is efficient and timely.

We are all mortal. Estate planning involves looking at your options now because when facts change, such as the sudden death of a spouse, those actions may be foreclosed. For example, if you are young and single, estate planning involves making a will, documenting who will make financial and health care decisions for you if you become disabled, and carrying enough life and disability insurance to be sure that you will not be a burden to your family. As you get older, you need to think about long term disability, retirement, and taxes. Our attorneys are skilled at helping sort through the tax and legal issues that you will face in dealing with this inevitability. We are experienced in will and trust preparation and minimization of death taxes. In other words, keeping more of what you have earned for family or favorite charities. Our attorneys are familiar with will alternatives and with tax laws that may govern your particular situation.

Change also affects our estate plans and we should review your plans when change occurs.

Marriage creates a whole set of rights. Who is the beneficiary of your insurance policies, IRA, 401(k), or Will? Your new spouse?

Divorce. Suppose one gets divorced and suddenly dies, what happens with all those beneficiary designations. And if it was a particularly nasty divorce, do you want to hand your children a lawsuit?

Having a Baby. Your will needs to designate who will be the guardian of that child if something happens to you.

Death of a spouse or child. Again that changes the everything.

Change of residence. Laws are different from state to state. Do not assume that they are the same.

Disability. Disability of a loved one can change your estate plans.

Change in fortune, change in lifestyle, change in interests.

Our attorneys can guide you through how these change points affect your estate plan and help you to manage those changes.

Charitable giving not only provides personal satisfaction, it also minimizes estate taxes and may generate immediate income tax benefits, both federal and state. Our attorneys are experienced in the preparation and administration of charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, grantor-retained annuity trusts, and other charitable giving instruments.

Whatever estate plan you may choose, be sure you understand all of the provisions of draft documents presented to you.

Spendthrift Trusts in Virginia - Not As Protective As They Used To Be
By John F. Rodgers