Estate Planning, Wills, & Trusts

Estate Planning Questionnaire

It is most helpful (as well as cost efficient) if you fill out these pages and send them to us prior to your appointment. However, please do not delay your appointment for the lack of answers, since we can assist you with troublesome items at our conference. You may fill the form out on screen and save (use "save as") the form frequently as you go along. Please do the best that you can!

Please email the completed form to us.

Or, you can print out the form and complete it by hand and mail or fax it to us.

Please fax to (804)-330-5940

Click here to download the questionnaire >>

Disposition of Tangible Personal Property

Please open our PDF disposition, fill it in, saving it frequently (use “save as”) to your computer.  When done, please email it as an attachment to your Freed & Shepherd attorney:

Or, you can print out the form and complete it by hand and mail or fax it to us. Please fax to (804)-330-5940.

Click here to open the PDF disposition >>

Powers of Executors and Trustees

In our wills and trusts we refer to Virginia Code Section 64.1-57, “Incorporation by reference of certain powers of fiduciaries into will or trust instrument.” These are very broad, powerful, and flexible powers that you will grant to your executors and trustees. We suggest that you click here [Section 64.1-57] and read the list of powers carefully and determine that you are comfortable granting these powers to your executors and trustees. Of course please feel free to call us to discuss.

Powers of Agents under Durable Powers of Attorney

In our durable powers of attorney, you will grant your agent the authority set out in Virginia Code §§ 26-98 through 26-111. These are very broad, powerful, and flexible powers that you will grant to your agent. We suggest that you click here and read the list of powers contained in §§ 26-98 through 26-111 carefully and determine that you are comfortable granting these powers to your agent. Of course please feel free to call us to discuss.

We assist you with your estate planning, most importantly in the transmission of your assets to accomplish your goals and objectives.

We will recommend techniques for the reduction of estate, gift, and generation skipping taxes, including: asset ownership changes; gifts; life insurance planning, including irrevocable life insurance trusts (“ILIT”); business succession; trusts of all kinds (charitable; credit shelter, bypass, or disclaimer trusts; intentionally defective trusts (“IDT”); grantor retained annuity (“GRAT”) and unitrust (“GRUT”) trusts; qualified personal residence trusts (“QPRT”); and other techniques such as private annuities and self-cancelling installment obligations (“SCIN”).

We help you retitle your assets to avoid having to probate your will and avoid having to qualify an executor. This results in a more streamlined transmission of assets, in substantial savings of energy and costs after your death, and privacy concerning your affairs.

We assist your executor and trustee with the administration of trusts and decedents' estates, including: post-mortem estate tax planning; fiduciary obligations; tax considerations involved in the administration of trusts and estates, including issues regarding estate, gift, and individual income taxation, as well as the income taxation of trusts and estates; the accounting process; and in hearings before the Commissioner of Accounts.

We represent beneficiaries, trustees, and personal representatives in IRS and Virginia tax disputes.

Finally, while we try to avoid litigation, when necessary we represent litigants in estate and trust litigation.

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