In an article published on Jan. 30, 2017 by Trusts & Estates’ WealthManagement.com, Skip Sugarman discusses the main reasons that families get into disagreements over estates. The article details the root causes of these disputes, such as local versus distant siblings, late-in-life spouses and blended families, among others.

Sugarman emphasizes, “The most important first step is planning, but not necessarily estate planning. By the time one of these situations has begun, it is too late for good, thorough estate planning. Indeed, many of these situations occur despite good estate planning. Instead, your client needs to prepare for battle. That does not mean racing to the courthouse to sue everyone in sight. It does mean thinking through your options and taking initial steps to prepare for a potential fight.”

For the full article, please click here.