Preventing Estate Litigation: Planning Techniques That Work – Or Do They? (Replay)

Faculty – ACTEC Fellows: Christine Socha Czapek, Shane Kelley,

Charles A. (“Clary”) Redd

Beneficiaries, or those who thought they should have been beneficiaries, sometimes think they have grounds to challenge all or part of an estate plan. Financial incentives often underlie these motivations. When designing or implementing an estate plan, certain techniques and strategies can be considered to help dissuade or derail such challenges, but if used improperly or injudiciously, can also backfire badly.

This program explores the use of particular drafting tactics that can reduce the likelihood or need for beneficiaries and fiduciaries to litigate contested estates, what states allow them, and under what circumstances they can be most effective.