Harrisonburg Trusts and Estates Lawyer

The proven Harrisonburg estate lawyers at the Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver, PLC law firm are experienced in the effective resolution of estate lawsuits and claims as related to the defense of estates and trusts. Harrisonburg estate attorneys are knowledgeable in all areas of general estate law, including but not limited to instances of estate bankruptcy, living trusts and retirement planning in Harrisonburg Virginia.

Contact a Harrisonburg Trusts and Estates Attorney with
Experience Litigating Many Types of Incidents:

• Decedents Estate
• Estate Bankruptcy
• Family Trusts
• Litigation
• Living Trusts
• Powers of Attorney
• Probate
• Special Needs Trusts
• Trusts and Estates
• Unclaimed Property

A Harrisonburg estate lawyer is professional and knowledgeable in understanding the details, facts, complications, and circumstances that arise in a Harrisonburg trusts and estates case.

Experienced Harrisonburg Trusts and Estates Attorney

Trusts are estate-planning tools that can replace or supplement wills; as well as help manage property during life. A trust manages the distribution of a person’s property by transferring its benefits and obligations to different people. There are many reasons to create a trust, making this property distribution technique a popular choice for many people when creating an estate plan.

The basics of trust creation are fairly simple. To create a trust, the property owner (called the “trustor,” “grantor,” or “settlor”) transfers legal ownership to a person or institution (called the “trustee”) to manage that property for the benefit of another person (called the “beneficiary”). The trustee often receives compensation for his or her management role. Trusts create a “fiduciary” relationship running from the trustee to the beneficiary, meaning that the trustee must act solely in the best interests of the beneficiary when dealing with the trust property. If a trustee does not live up to this duty, then the trustee is legally accountable to the beneficiary for any damage to his or her interests. The grantor may act as the trustee himself or herself, and retain ownership instead of transferring the property, but he or she still must act in a fiduciary capacity. A grantor may also name him or herself as one of the beneficiaries of the trust. In any trust arrangement, however, the trust cannot become effective until the grantor transfers the property to the trustee.

Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver, PLC
The Harrisonburg Trusts and Estates Lawyer Source

The Harrisonburg estate attorney professionals of Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver, PLC law firm are distinguished by a history of successful estate claim recoveries and resolutions. For defense representation in an estate dispute, contact a Harrisonburg estate lawyer with the Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver, PLC law firm in Virginia.