Serving as a Trustee is a serious job, which is why even professional trustees hire a Trust Attorney. As a Trust Lawyer, we advise and protect the Trustee from inception to close. Because we focus only on Trust and Estate matters clients seek our our services throughout Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and New Jersey. Where ever you are located, hiring a real Trust Lawyer makes the trust administration process easy for you.
We are flexible. We have a Trust Lawyer who can help you with one or two issues, or we can take on the entire trust administration process. At our firm, a Trust Attorney is ready to help. Very few practices can provide you that depth of experience. Advising and guiding Trustees is what we do!
We have an experienced Trust Administration Lawyer ready to help you with any task, but Trustees will most often have us help with the following:
Many firms handle Trust Administration matters on a part-time basis. Inexperience is not cost effective. Being that Trust representation is what we do, our experience allows us to focus quickly on the issues that matter. Our focus helps us arrive at the most cost efficient plan. We find the solution to your problem while the others are just warming up.
If you are going to serve as Trustee, then you have taken on a level of personal liability. You are a fiduciary with a duty to the Beneficiary. You can be made to correct any mistake by using your money. Further, any beneficiary has the right to bring you before a judge to explain every action and every expense. This threat of personal liability is why you have the legal right to retain a Trust Lawyer to represent you. The trust pays the bill, but the trust reaps the benefit of efficiency and reduced chance of litigation.
You are not expected to know how to manage every issue that arises. But you are liable if you act upon something you don’t understand when you simply had to hire a professional to assist you. If you fail to retain help and venture out on your own, then you are responsible for your mistakes. Should your error reduce the estate or trust, you are expected to use your funds to repair the damage. If you fail to rectify your error voluntarily, a Beneficiary can force you to explain yourself to a judge. The judge then can Surcharge you. If you are not an expert Trustee, why risk a mistake? Protect yourself; the system allows you to use the estate or trust funds to hire an experienced Trust Attorney.
Banks and Trust Companies serve as professional Trustees. They regularly hire either in-house lawyers or retain Trust Lawyers or Trust Attorneys such as our firm. If professionals refuse to provide services without a Trust Lawyer, why would a non-professional expose themselves to liability and go it alone?
Normally, co-trustees share the same attorney. Circumstances can make that arrangement unacceptable, and each party must retain his or her own attorney.
Examples:
One co-trustee may feel that the single attorney they initially retained is favoring the other co-trustee when it comes to handling assets or interpreting the trust.
The co-trustees may find that they cannot agree on a matter, which must be decided by the court, and the initial attorney is conflicted out or one party or the other simply wishes to have a more experienced trusts and estates trained attorney represent their position.
Co-trustees my find themselves bargaining with each other and simply feel more comfortable having the advice of his or her own attorney.
Whatever the reason, most wills and trusts allow each trustee to retain his or her own attorney which is paid for from the trust’s assets.
Our attorneys, with vast experience in trust and estate matters, can help advise you and help you avoid traps and pitfalls. If you are currently serving as a trustee, or if you are considering taking on that fiduciary responsibility, contact one of our experienced Trust and Estate Litigation Attorneys to advise and represent you.
Feel free to Contact our office to set up a free consultation. We try to make the process as painless as possible!
Many firms assign Estate and Trust Litigation cases to their young lawyers or a general litigator. This is not cost effective. Being that Estate and Trust Litigation is what we do, our experience allows us to focus quickly on the issues that matter. By being focused, we arrive at the most cost efficient plan. We find the solution to your problem while the others are just warming up.
While some firms litigate, few of them have whole departments focused exclusively on estate matters. At Klenk Law, our Trust Litigators have the luxury of partnering with other lawyers from our Probate or Estate Planning Departments. The depth of experience we can focus on your case is truly impressive. Whatever issue you are facing, our team has the answer.
Our breadth of experience allows us to successfully protect trustees and executors from ungrateful beneficiaries. Whether you are a Trustee, Agent, or Guardian, our skills will best represent your case.
Peter Klenk is the founding member of Klenk Law, a seven attorney boutique estate planning law firm. We serve clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Minnesota and Florida. Peter Klenk received his Masters in Taxation LL.M. from NYU Law School and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. He served his country in the Navy JAGC during Desert Storm. Easy to talk to, feel free to call Peter for an appointment. We will make the process as easy as possible!
"I worked for Peter Klenk for 4 wonderful years. I can’t speak highly enough of everyone at the firm. Everyone truly cares about their clients and has a strong sense of responsibility to get things done right. I would highly recommend Klenk Law!"
Flora Novick
Excellent, knowledgeable team handled a complicated issue with superb results.
Peter and his associates were a pleasure to work with. He explained the process clearly and provided assistance nearly instantaneously. Highly recommended for trusts-and-estates-related needs!
Very knowledgeable! Peter Klenk always has a thorough answer, and the associates have more experience than you'll find at most firms. They really only do estate work.
Peter Klenk & Associates is my go-to firm for estate planning and advice in probate and estate administration. Peter and his attorneys are top-notch and exceptionally responsive. Peter has the knack of being able to explain extremely complex tax and estate planning issues in a manner that clients are easily able to understand and comprehend allowing them to confidently make important decisions.
Peter explained a complex subject very clearly, helped us to decide the best approach to managing our estate and then made it very easy for us to execute the required documents. He will be a valuable resource for years to come and clearly has a great understanding of estate law that will lead to innovative solutions for us. I would unhesitatingly recommend him for estate planning.
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