Skip to Content

We are a Veteran Owned Business, providing 20% discounts for Veterans, First Responders, Elementary and High School teachers. Please contact us to set up a phone or Zoom meeting. Taking care of you and your family, It's What We Do!

Avoiding Conflict as Trustee with Your Brother’s Ex-Wife

Posted on Fri Feb 20, 2015, on Estate Litigation

From our “Ask a Question” Mailbag: Avoiding Ex-Spouse Drama as a Camden County Executor

Most Recently Updated July 9, 2018.

“I am the personal representative of my brother’s Camden County, New Jersey estate and all the assets pass into a trust for his minor children. I am worried his ex-wife will object to everything that I do as executor as she is unhappy that she doesn’t get control over the children’s money. What can I do to avoid trouble?”

Avoiding Ex-Spouse Drama as a Camden County Executor

Avoiding Ex-Spouse Drama as a Camden County Executor

This is one of those situations where no good deed goes unpunished. You are serving as your brother’s executor to make sure your nieces and nephews are properly cared for. But by serving as the personal representative you are also responsible for any mistakes or errors you make that reduce the children’s inheritance.

If you take any action that reduces the inheritance, your former sister-in-law could object on behalf of the minor children. The judge does have the power to make you use your own money to make up for any mistake that reduces the children’s inheritance.

What Should You Do?

Your best option is to retain a law firm that has both an active Probate Department to assist you with probating the estate and an active Estate Litigation Department to help you prepare for your former sister-in-law’s inevitable objections.

The estate will be completed in an efficient manner. And perhaps she will see that there is no use in objecting. If she objects anyway, the Estate Litigation Attorney can help file a Formal Accounting and be prepared with responses to objections.

Further Estate Litigation Questions?

Avoiding conflict is only one of many Estate Litigation issues our firm addresses. Consequently, if you want to learn more, please read my more detailed article, Trust and Estate Litigation All You Need to Know.

In Conclusion: Avoiding Ex-Spouse Drama as a Camden County Executor

I hope that this article was helpful in explaining what you need to know to avoid conflict. Further, I included links to even more detailed information on my website. Therefore, please contact me and let me know how I did. Certainly, your comments and questions are welcome!

Let our Lawyers help walk you through what can be a confusing process. To begin with, call to speak to one of our experienced Litigation Attorneys.  By all means, our lawyers are ready to answer your questions. In fact, feel free to contact our office for a free consultation. Ultimately our goal is to put our 25 years of estate litigation experience to work for you.

Wills, Trusts, Probate, and Estate Litigation It’s All We Do!

Tags:

Camden County, Estate Litigation, Estate Litigation Attorney, Estate Litigation Lawyer, New Jersey

Peter KlenkPeter Klenk

What Our clients are saying

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Linda F.

I'm totally satisfied with Klenk Law. Peter has a great legal mind with the personality of the guy next door.

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

AJK

Peter has done our family's trust and estate work since our children were born. He is not only extremely knowledgeable and honest but makes sure that our arrangements remain current with the changing legal landscape. I would give him my highest recommendation as a professional in his field.

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Darryl J.

Answered my question quickly and referred me to a colleague that could handle my problem

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Chris Curcio

Fantastic customer service. Very personable and most importantly they provide great explanations of what is required based on your individual needs. Highly recommend Klenk Law for anyone that needs to create a will and estate documents.

Klenk Law Logo
Stars

Sharon S.

I contacted Peter through his website using the free consultation link for a question regarding a will. While I was expecting only a few minutes, it was a lengthy conversation. He made sure he understood the situation by asking many questions before offering advice. He then went through my options and results of each one. He left it up to me to decide if I wanted to proceed and did not push me toward one or another. His website has very useful information which I definitely researched before I called him. While I decided not to proceed at this time, I feel I had enough information to make that decision. I would not hesitate to hire him should I need to in the future.

Let us put our expertise to work for you.

Free consultation within 24 hours.