Downs Law Firm, P.C.

Beneficiaries

Inherited IRA

Battle Over Lisa Marie Presley Estate

A badly in debt woman dies leaving the proceeds of substantial insurance policies to her children only to have her trust contested by relatives who claim an amendment naming the children as beneficiaries is invalid with no witnesses, misspelled names, suspicious signatures and was never given to previous trustees for review as required by agreement. A long, expensive, and protracted legal battle likely is brewing.

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no estate planning

Can You Prevent a Will Contest?

From contentious relatives to scam artists, wills are not immune to the threat of a contest. If you have an inkling such a fight could be in your estate’s future, here are some ways to limit the risk.

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caregiving child

How to Pick Your Executor

One of the biggest challenges that clients encounter during the process is deciding who to appoint as their trustees, powers of attorney, health care surrogates and executors.

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unmarried couple

Estate Planning as an Unmarried Couple?

All couples can now take advantage of tax benefits for married partners, pass assets from one spouse to another with ease and qualify for Social Security spousal and survivor benefits. However, not all couples want to get married.

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no estate planning

Do I Need an Attorney for Probate?

A competent elder law or estate attorney can keep the estate process on track, and knows of provisions like family allowances, benefits to prepaying inheritance tax, even where the tax return is not yet complete and a listing of itemized deductions.

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trusts work for regular folks

Trusts Work for Regular Folks

When you hear the word trust fund, you might think of wealthy kids a big chunk of cash on their 25th birthday. However, trust funds aren’t just for the rich. They are flexible tools to protect your loved ones.

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