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Experienced Estate Planning Attorney Eugene, OR
At Northwest Legal, we provide our clients with a wide range of estate services, including estate planning, probate, trust administration, and dispute prevention and resolution. We take great pride in the personalized approach we bring to every estate matter we handle, from simple to sophisticated, serving our clients with efficiency, responsiveness, and creativity. Based in downtown Eugene, we serve clients throughout Oregon and beyond. Whether you are just beginning the estate planning process, or you are facing a complicated probate or trust administration, or you are involved in a will contest, you can count on Northwest Legal to provide sound counsel and practical advice every step of the way.
Estate Planning - Wills & Trusts
We have years of experience drafting wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, and medical directives for individuals and families. As an Oregon estate planning attorney, I work closely with my clients to understand their goals and objectives for the future of their loved ones and their assets, then outline the various estate planning tools and options to best achieve their estate planning goals. Estate planning is a lifelong and dynamic process, so we also assist our clients with updating their estate plans following major life events, such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, new or growing business endeavors, or a substantial gift or inheritance. Regardless of the size or complexity of the estate, we strive to deliver smart and creative solutions with efficiency and responsiveness.
Our Oregon estate planning services also include assisting our clients with asset protection strategies such as tax credit shelter trusts and legal tax avoidance, as well as establishing special needs trusts. We stay up to date on legal and regulatory changes and developments in Oregon estate planning law to best serve our clients. From a simple last will and testament to a comprehensive estate plan, and everything in between, an experienced Oregon wills and trusts lawyer can assist you.
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Probate
Probate is the legal process in which a court oversees the distribution of assets left by a deceased person. Probate in Oregon may be unavoidable in certain circumstances, such as when there are disputes, debts need to be collected, title property is involved, or the estate is large. Under Oregon law, a small estate affidavit can be filed if the estate has no more than $75,000 in personal property and no more than $200,000 in real property.
If probate is necessary, an experienced Oregon probate attorney can assist you through the probate administration process, including proving the will (convincing the court that it is authentic), notification of heirs, asset inventory and assessment, ancillary probate, filing of necessary tax returns, and obtaining court approval.
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Trust Administration
A trust can be a useful estate planning tool, and while it can have many potential benefits, such as the avoidance of probate and the ability to manage how and when your assets are distributed upon your death, establishing a trust does create what can be a complex legal relationship. It is important to have an experienced trust attorney in your corner when you are facing trust administration issues.
Northwest Legal offers a broad range of trust administration services to individuals and families and are experienced in the administration of a variety of trusts, including revocable living trusts and trusts established for the benefit of a minor or disabled child. Detail-oriented and well-versed in the complexities of trusts, we assist our clients with a myriad of administration issues, from interpreting trust language and provisions, resolving creditor claims, distributing assets, and litigating trust disputes, if necessary.
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Dispute Prevention & Resolution
In our estate planning practice, we strive to anticipate and address potential challenges, implementing dispute prevention strategies wherever possible. Good planning can go a long way to reducing the likelihood of probate litigation, which can be emotionally fraught and disruptive for all involved. Even with careful planning and the best of intentions, inheritance disputes arise, and it is critical to have an experienced probate litigation attorney on your side.
At Northwest Legal, we represent beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and other parties in a variety of estate disputes, including will contests, trustee/beneficiary conflict of interest issues, and actions challenging guardianship, conservatorship, and powers of attorney. Whether litigating in probate court, or through an alternative dispute resolution method such as mediation, we bring our unique combination of skilled and detail-oriented advocacy, a straight-forward and practical legal approach, and personalized attention, to every matter we handle.
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