Blended Family Estate Planning
A blended family couple came to us with a unique challenge: how to fairly divide their estate among their seven children from previous marriages, while also ensuring that the surviving spouse would be cared for. Their estate included a shared home, rental property, retirement accounts, bank accounts, vehicles, and other personal assets. In addition to their jointly owned property, each spouse had kept certain assets separate during the marriage, and they wanted to ensure that those assets would pass to their own children and grandchildren. After meeting with them several times to understand their priorities and family dynamics, we designed a comprehensive estate plan. This included a joint revocable living trust and pour-over wills, which ensured that the surviving spouse would be financially secure, while also guaranteeing that both joint and separate assets would be distributed according to each spouse’s wishes. The result was a customized plan that gave them peace of mind, protected their legacy, and strengthened family harmony.
Navigating Probate for a Grieving Daughter
A daughter contacted our firm shortly after the passing of her mother. While she had been named the Executrix in her mother’s Last Will and Testament, she had never been involved in a court proceeding and found the responsibilities overwhelming. The estate included the family home, a vehicle still registered in her mother’s name, and a house full of personal belongings that needed to be inventoried and divided among siblings. Dealing with the grief of losing a parent, she was unsure how to navigate the complex legal requirements of probate without making a mistake. We stepped in to handle the administration of the estate from start to finish. Our team managed the initial court filings, processed the transfer of the vehicle title, and compiled the necessary estate inventory for the Commissioner of Accounts. We also oversaw the proper disbursement of assets to her and her siblings. By lifting the legal burden from her shoulders, we allowed the client to focus on her family and her own healing, ensuring her mother’s final wishes were accomplished smoothly and correctly.
Updating an Estate Plan for a Growing Family
A young couple came to us following the birth of their second child, realizing their existing wills no longer reflected their life circumstances. Since drafting their original documents, they had purchased a new home and their family dynamic had changed. They needed to update their choice of legal guardians and wanted to ensure their children would not inherit significant assets until age 21, rather than 18, to ensure greater maturity. We helped them navigate these important decisions, guiding them in selecting the best individuals to care for their children and manage the children's finances if the unthinkable occurred. We crafted an updated, cost-effective estate plan that addressed their specific assets, including their home and vehicles, while incorporating the trust provisions they desired. The couple left with the relief of knowing their plan matched their current life, allowing them to put the legal details behind them and focus on raising their family.
Planning for Grandchildren’s Inheritance
A retired client came to us with a clear vision for her legacy: she wanted her estate to go directly to her grandchildren rather than her children, who were already financially secure. Her assets included a home, retirement savings, life insurance, and other investments. With grandchildren ranging in age from 4 to 24, she wanted to be sure that each would receive an equal share when they turned 30—adjusted for inflation—while also allowing them to benefit from certain assets as they came of age. This presented a unique planning challenge: ensuring that funds would remain available decades into the future, while maintaining fairness across generations. After understanding her goals, we crafted a customized estate plan using a revocable living trust and pour-over will. The trust directed her assets into safe, interest-bearing investments and included detailed instructions for the trustee to distribute inflation-adjusted amounts to each grandchild upon reaching age 30. The plan also allowed for earlier inheritances of certain property as grandchildren matured, with the remainder distributed equally after the youngest grandchild came of age. This creative solution gave our client peace of mind, knowing her legacy would be preserved and passed on exactly as she envisioned.
Clearing a Hidden "Cloud" on a Home Title
A gentleman came to us while attempting to sell the home he had inherited from his father. To his surprise, the title search revealed a "cloud" on the property title dating back two generations. The home had originally passed from his grandmother, who died without a will, meaning ownership was legally split between his father and an estranged uncle. Because the uncle’s whereabouts were unknown—and it was unclear if he was even still alive or had children of his own—he had never signed over his share of the property. This effectively froze the sale. Our firm immediately went to work researching the land records to trace the chain of title. We then filed a "suit to quiet title," a legal action asking the court to resolve the ownership dispute. We navigated the court process to prove our client’s claim to the property. Ultimately, the court granted our petition and declared our client the sole owner. With the cloud removed and the title clear, he was finally able to sell the home he had lived in for years, free from the legal uncertainty that had stalled the process.
Protecting a Business and Family Legacy
A successful local business owner came to us with significant concerns about liability and succession. He owned a small business, several investment properties, retirement accounts, and life insurance, and wanted to ensure that his assets were protected if someone sued his business or was injured on one of his properties. At the same time, he wanted a clear plan so that his business could continue smoothly after his passing and his properties could be fairly divided among his children. We developed a tailored solution by creating a Virginia Business Trust. This structure provided separate liability protection for each of his assets, shielding both his business and real estate from unnecessary risk. The trust also established successor trustees and beneficiaries to ensure continuity of operations and equal distribution of his properties and other assets. With this plan in place, he gained peace of mind knowing his business, investments, and family legacy were secure for the future.
Preserving Assets While Planning for Long-Term Care
An elderly couple approached us with concerns about the rising cost of nursing home care and how quickly it could deplete the savings they had worked their whole lives to build. They wanted to ensure that if one spouse required long-term care, the other would remain financially secure at home, while still preserving assets to pass on to their children. Their estate included their family home, retirement savings, and other investments that they feared might be consumed by long-term care expenses. We created a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust tailored to their needs. This allowed them to safeguard their home and a significant portion of their savings, while positioning them to qualify for Medicaid benefits if care became necessary. By protecting their assets from being spent down, the plan ensured financial security for the healthy spouse and preserved a legacy for their children. The couple left with peace of mind knowing they had a strategy in place for both immediate protection and long-term planning.
