Experienced Virginia Trust and Estates Attorneys Can Draft Your Last Will & Guide You Through Probate

Your will provides you with the opportunity to distribute your property, establish care for your children and otherwise express your wishes upon your death. If you do not have a will, your property is distributed pursuant to the laws of intestacy, which might not match your wishes upon you death.  At Forrester & Ray, formerly Economou, Forrester & Ray, our attorneys can draft a valid will that ensures your intentions are honored.

Changing your will
As your life changes, so might your estate plan. You may need to update your will throughout your life.

Appointment of guardianship
If you have minor children, your will allows you to make decisions about their future care, especially crucial if you are a single parent or if both parents die in a common incident. You can name in your will a guardian to take care of your minor children and a trustee to handle their assets.

Creating the best estate plan
Drafting this important document requires more than filling in a form. If a court determines that your will is invalid, your desires will not be honored upon your death. We meticulously draft your will and consider all aspects of your estate plan. We review your family arrangements, financial situations and philosophical goals to guide you in making the best estate planning decisions, and draft your will accordingly.

Probate
The process of probate typically accompanies a situation involving painful emotional loss. We ease the stress of probating your loved one’s estate and guide executors and beneficiaries through the complex process.

The process of probate
Most executors have never or only rarely probated a will and know little about the process. We can guide you through the complex probate process, including:

  • Filing the will with the appropriate Virginia county probate court
  • Developing the best strategy for fairly and expeditiously probating the estate
  • Finding and collecting assets
  • Closing and opening bank accounts
  • Transferring assets from the deceased to the estate
  • Paying estate taxes
  • Valuing, managing, preserving and liquidating the estate
  • Locating beneficiaries
  • Hiring experts, when appropriate
Valuing and managing the estate
We assist executors with the arduous process of collecting, managing, valuing, protecting and liquidating assets of an estate. When appropriate, the firm calls upon accountants, financial advisors, real estate agents, property managers, and other professionals to assist with executor duties. We can access expert opinions about unique assets such as antiques, rare books, automobiles and other collectables for accurate valuation, management and possible sale.

Probate disputes
Even for seemingly straightforward estates, disputes between beneficiaries sometimes arise. Our attorneys’ professional courtroom presence can calm the emotionally charged process of probating a challenged will or disputed executor or judicial decision. When it is in the best interest of our clients to preserve cordial familial relationships, we are adept at mediating disputes. That said, we assertively defend our client’s beneficiary rights within the Virginia probate court when doing so is necessary.

Contact the thorough estate planning lawyers at Forrester & Ray
For professional legal service throughout Northern Virginia, call Forrester & Ray at 703-549-7510 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.