When a beneficiary starts living large

During the course of our professional duties here at Joseph A. Ledwidge, P.C., we see our fair share of family disagreements. Among the most acrimonious are those resulting from the alleged misappropriation of estate assets. We understand that everyone deals with grief in a different way: some mourn in solitude while others attempt to live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, the latter alternative sometimes causes discord when that lavish lifestyle is funded by trusts.

Our main concern, and that of the courts in many cases, is that the intent of a decedent is carried out faithfully. That is, after all, the purpose at the core of estate documents: that you have the ability to carry out your loved one’s will even in face of even the most extreme circumstances.

To this end, there are many ways in which you could want to modify a will or a trust when one of the beneficiaries begins to live beyond the means of the estate. For example, you might want to remove an executor. However, since this is a legal process and the individuals who hold executorial positions are often attorneys themselves, you may not always have a clear path to success in this matter. 

Lawyers tend to know the rules surrounding estates, and therefore are equipped to avoid obvious mistakes. Because of this, we make a point of being more diligent in our investigations than a corrupt executor would be in his or her obfuscations of evidence. We realize we are going up against our peers in many of these cases, so we leave nothing to chance. Please continue to the main site for detailed information.