Will Contest Law Firm Philadelphia, PA

When You Need a Will Contest Law Firm Philadelphia, PA Trusts

If a person needs to contest a will or defend a will from a challenger, they may need a will contest lawyer. Unfortunately, it’s prevalent for severe disagreements to develop after someone’s death in anticipation of distributing the deceased’s assets. These disagreements are frequent when the assets are considered by more than one person to be of particular value.  The value can be either financial or sentimental. 

We Focus on Will Contests

At Klenk Law, our Philadelphia, PA lawyers have seen every variation of this scenario. We have also helped many of our clients find the peace of mind they sought at the beginning of the conflict. If you would like to know more about how a will contest lawyer from our firm may be of assistance to you, call us and request a free consultation.

When a Family Member Contests a Will

All too often, when someone passes away, they leave behind grieving family members. Grief can quickly turn to anger when one or more of the loved ones discover that they will not inherit what they believe they are entitled to inherit. Or they may disagree with the instructions in the will for the deceased’s final wishes such as his last resting place. Though the circumstances of the family disagreement can vary widely, the commonality is that one or more family members wish to contest the will.

Family Disputes Can Cause Will Contests

Disputes among family members can be particularly emotional and fraught with anger. A lawyer from a Philadelphia, PA will contest law firm can help defuse this situation by providing objective, legal advice for their client. If you are the one who wishes to hire a lawyer, a member of our will contest law firm can provide you with the guidance you need to make informed decisions. Understanding your legal options is a sound strategy. Learned counsel helps resolve issues involving a will and potential inheritances.

Common Reasons for Contesting a Will

A will contest can result from any number of reasons.  Some of the most common include the following:

• The deceased was not of sound mind when they wrote their will.
• The submitted will is not a valid will. For example, they may claim that this will is a forgery.
• The submitted will is not the final will. For instance, they may claim there is another will that has not yet been discovered. In the alternative, the final will might have been stolen or hidden.
• Someone coerced the deceased into writing this particular will or an aspect of it. Perhaps someone pressured or blackmailed them into bequeathing certain assets to someone undeserving.  Or, maybe they were tricked into writing the will in this particular way.

When Someone Else Contests the Will

If someone else claims the will is not valid for one reason or another, their actions could significantly affect you and others. If they have chosen to hire a lawyer from a Philadelphia, PA will contest law firm; it may be easy for you to be intimidated by claims made by the other party.  You need someone on your team.

In Conclusion

It’s essential that you understand your legal rights, and from the perspective of someone who has your best interests in mind — your own will contest law firm Philadelphia, PA clients recommend. Call Klenk Law today to schedule a free consultation with a will lawyer. Our will contest lawyers can provide you with the guidance you need.

Preventing a Post-Divorce Will Contest

After you have navigated the ups and downs of the divorce process, one of the last things you are likely eager to do is dive into more legal paperwork. However, there is one task that cannot wait. It is time to update your estate plan with the help of a Philadelphia; PA will contest law firm. Failure to make your updated wishes known in legally binding ways can lead to potentially devastating consequences.

Unless you want your former spouse making medical decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated or you want all of your property to pass into your former spouse’s possession, it is time to dig into updating your estate plan. Thankfully, your Philadelphia, PA will contest law firm can handle most of the heavy lifting. But it is up to you to speak with your attorney about updating your beneficiaries, power of attorney, etc. so that he or she can draft the necessary changes.

Property: Wills and Trusts

In the wake of your divorce, it is important to clarify your wishes.  Even if you ultimately determine to gift your former spouse assets, updating is essential.  Further, even if you wish to leave the overall plan unchanged. If you do not clarify what your wishes are, your children or other loved ones could argue that you never meant for your property to pass to your former spouse.  Failure to clarify your intent can lead to unnecessary litigation.  A judge may overturn your wishes as written. Double-checking that you still want your designated executor to serve in this position. Make sure that, at a minimum, your chosen executor is aware that you have updated your wishes as outlined in your estate plan.

Unless you explicitly change your will and any trusts you have set up, your documents likely name your spouse beneficiary. Similarly, if your former step-children have been designated as beneficiaries of any assets in your estate plan and you no longer wish for them to receive these gifts, it is important to have your Philadelphia, PA will contest law firm remove them and to designate new beneficiaries. If you have not already made similar changes to any life insurance policies or any other legally binding documents in which beneficiaries are named, now is the time to do so.

Power of Attorney and Health Care Directives

Did you grant your former spouse financial or medical power of attorney? Does she have the legal authority to make medical decisions on your behalf? If you no longer want him or her to have these powers, please instruct your Philadelphia, PA will contest law firm to update your estate plan accordingly. None of us know how much time we have. As a result, it is vitally important to make these changes now. Failure to do so could lead to your former spouse making decisions on your behalf that could mean the difference between life and death.

Legal Assistance Is Available

Divorce can leave you sick of legal formalities. That is completely understandable. However, it is essential that you speak with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will contest law firm Klenk Law about updating your wishes. Failure to do so could lead to a host of undesirable consequences.  Make sure your heirs respect your wishes.