United States: Trusts

When an aging parent leaves a significant portion of their estate to their caregiver, families often question whether the bequest reflects genuine intent or undue influence. Washington courts have recently addressed this tension, upholding legitimate caregiver inheritances while also recognizing red flags that warrant closer scrutiny, including isolation, control over legal processes, cognitive decline, and dramatic departures from long-standing estate plans.

Washington State's Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act (TEDRA) offers a flexible, efficient framework for resolving trust and estate conflicts without full-scale litigation. This comprehensive guide examines TEDRA's procedural mechanisms, dispute resolution tools, and practical applications for fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and legal practitioners navigating estate-related disputes.

When a trust beneficiary's marriage ends in divorce, those same trusts designed to preserve wealth can become sources of friction and financial disparity. Washington State courts must make a "just and equitable" division of property while considering each party's economic circumstances, including trust interests that may not be divisible but significantly impact financial realities.

The death of Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg has sparked a contentious legal battle between his widow and children over control of his name, image, and likeness rights

The international landscape for estate and succession planning is being reshaped by unprecedented demographic shifts, evolving family structures, and the rise of digital wealth. As tens of trillions of dollars prepare to transfer between generations globally, legal practitioners must navigate an increasingly complex environment where traditional inheritance laws intersect with same-sex marriage recognition, assisted reproductive technologies, cryptocurrency holdings, and competing jurisdictional tax regimes

Connecticut has transformed into a trust-friendly jurisdiction through comprehensive statutory reforms, including the Uniform Trust Code, Directed Trust Act, and extended perpetuities period allowing trusts to last 800 years. How do these modern trust-planning tools balance with Connecticut's rigorous estate tax regime and the state's position as the only jurisdiction imposing both estate and gift taxes?

For pet owners who consider their animals family members, a pet trust provides a legally enforceable mechanism to ensure continued care if the owner becomes incapacitated or dies. Both New Jersey and New York now explicitly authorize these arrangements, allowing funds to be set aside and trustees to be appointed with enforceable duties to act in the animal's best interests.

More than 10 million families own private forestland in the United States, yet most lack clear succession plans or governance structures to protect these assets across generations.

Professional fiduciaries are hired for their expertise, experience, and neutrality. Courts precisely appoint professional fiduciaries because of familial strife and complex administrations.