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Wills, Trusts and Estates Administration
Estate administration consists of the administration of wills, trusts and estates. Estate administration is the process in which a deceased person’s affairs are finalized after death. It involves accumulating the assets of the decedent, payment of debts and taxes, and the distribution of the decedent’s remaining assets in accordance with their estate plan or state intestate law in the event they did not have an estate plan.
Our estate administration practice at the law offices of Dugalic & Landau, PC encompasses all issues related to the admission of a will to probate, the payment of debts and taxes, and the distribution of assets upon death. Our services include comprehensive guidance from probate initiation through estate resolution with a special emphasis on Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Federal tax implications.
Our estate administration attorneys can assist you in all areas of estate administration, including:
- Trust Administration: including charitable and family trusts
- Federal and State Tax Compliance: including the preparation and filing of all final tax returns
- Family Limited Partnerships
- Intestate Succession
- Representation of Individual Beneficiaries: when an estate is administered by another attorney
- Heirship: determining the legal entitlement of heirs
- Retitling of Assets: to avoid increased taxes and administrative expense caused by incorrect titling
- Business Succession
- Tax Implications: including issues related to changes in family status and the true valuation of assets for tax purposes
Our PA estate planning attorneys and NJ estate planning attorneys have years of practical experience preparing comprehensive estate packages, including issues of probate and taxation. As a result, our PA estate administration attorneys and NJ estate administration attorneys understand the financial as well as legal implications inherent in the probate process and can accurately advise clients seeking the efficient distribution of large and complex estates involving private and business assets.
The law office of Dugalic & Landau, PC offers valuable wills, trusts & estates administration services. Call us today in order to speak with estate administration attorney about how our office can help you in the administration of wills, trusts and estates. Our estate administration attorneys are experienced and knowledgeable in the administration of wills, trusts and estates.
Probate: Wills and Administration of Estates
Wills and administration of estates without a will is resolved through the court’s probate system, which is the legal court process by which a person's final debts are settled and legal title to property is formally passed from the decedent to his or her beneficiaries and heirs.
Wills and administration of estates without a will through the court’s probate process can be a fairly simple process or a very complex one. Wills and administration of estates without a will can involve a number of disputes that can range from the legality of a will, values placed on assets of the estate, tax obligations and beneficiary interests. Wills and administration of estates is made much easier with the existence of a comprehensive will that covers all areas of potential disputes involving an estate, however, in the event an individual has died without a will, both Pennsylvania and New Jersey have enacted laws to address such areas of dispute. Nonetheless, it is best to address these potential areas of dispute ahead of time by drafting a comprehensive estate plan as wills and administration of estates without a will can be time-consuming, costly and agonizing when such a comprehensive estate plan does not exist. Our estate administration attorneys are experienced in handling both simple and complex probate matters involving wills and administration of estates without wills in the probate process.
The law office of Dugalic & Landau, PC offers valuable wills, trusts & estates administration services. Call us today in order to speak with estate administration attorney about how our office can help you in the administration of wills, trusts and estates. Our estate administration attorneys are experienced and knowledgeable in the administration of wills, trusts and estates.
Trust Administration
The law office of Dugalic & Landau, P.C., has extensive experience in the area of wills, trusts, and estates administration, including the settlement of complex estate matters, post-mortem income tax planning, and the use of disclaimers. We prepare gift and generation-skipping transfer tax returns, federal and state inheritance and estate tax returns, and IRS and state filings. We also handle tax controversies, including IRS and state estate, gift, inheritance and income tax controversies.
The firm represents clients in trust related litigation, including allegations involving the following:
- Lack of capacity
- Undue influence
- Improper execution of estate planning documents
- Revocation of documents
- Fraud
Duties of the Trustee
A trustee owes many fiduciary duties in the administration of the trust. The trustee must put the interests of the beneficiaries above all other considerations, except adherence to the trustee's duties under the law.
In some trust situations however, beneficiaries allege malfeasance on the part of a trustee. Most frequently, these involve allegations of inadequate or irregular distributions of funds. Other allegations can involve mismanagement of trust assets, illegal disposal of trust assets, diversion of assets to the trustee, undue influence, and conflicts of interest in the management of the trust.
Dugalic & Landau, P.C. is an experienced in the area of wills, trusts and estates administration. If you have reason to believe that your trust has been mismanaged or that the trustees have not upheld their duties, we would like to talk with you.
Call us at for a free consultation. A trust attorney at our firm can explain your rights and how we may be able to resolve the trust dispute in your favor.
Trust Administration and Litigation of Trust Disputes
Having created numerous trusts, we understand trust law and the legal responsibilities of trustees. We know what can go wrong in a trust, and when it does, how to investigate and pursue trust contest cases.
Remedies in such cases depend on the nature of the malfeasance and the goals of the beneficiary. Our firm can seek to:
- Obtain a full and objective accounting of the trust's activities
- Compel distribution of trust funds in accordance with the provisions of the trust
- Remove one or more trustees
By its nature, trust litigation is generally complex. Our firm has the knowledge, experience, and resources needed to successfully pursue and defend all types of trust litigation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In representing you, Dugalic & Landau, PC will work to secure and protect your rights and interests at all times.
The law office of Dugalic & Landau, PC offers valuable wills, trusts & estates administration services. Call us today in order to speak with estate administration attorney about how our office can help you in the administration of wills, trusts and estates. Our estate administration attorneys are experienced and knowledgeable in the administration of wills, trusts and estates.