Practice Areas

LUCAS A. WOODWARD

Esq., LL.M. Taxation

CALIFORNIA and nevada
ESTATE PLANNING
PROBATE
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
TRUST AND PROBATE LITIGATION

Estate Planning:

Simple and Complex Will and Trust Drafting, Educational Trusts, Qualified Terminal Interest Property Trusts (QTIPs), Retirement Benefits Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs), Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs), Crummy Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, Estate and Income Tax Planning for IRAs,401(K)s and other retirement accounts, Transfers of wealth, real estate and business interests between generations.

Trust Administration:

Distribution of assets upon death, Trustee representation and counsel, Representation and advisement of beneficiary rights, Division of assets for A B Style Trusts upon the death of the first spouse, Sub Trust Funding, Establishing Trusts for minors, Fiduciary Accountings, Evaluation of tax treatment for IRAs and 401(K) distributions.

Probate:

Testate and Intestate Estates, Spousal Property Petitions, Petitions to Determine Succession to Real Property, Transfers of Small Estates Pursuant to Probate Code Affidavit method, miscellaneous probate matters and petitions.

Trust & Probate Litigation:

Will contests, Trust contests, Disputes between beneficiaries, Undue influence and lack of capacity cases, Prosecution and defense of caregiver beneficiary cases, Omitted spouse matters, Disinherited child cases, Lost will cases, Creditor claims against trusts and estates, Trustee surcharge actions, Financial abuse and fraud of elders or dependent adults, Prosecution and defense of trustee removal actions, Compelling trustee accountings and distributions, Objections to accountings, Reformation of problematic trusts, Court actions to modify irrevocable trusts, Establishing community property interests in a deceased spouse's estate for surviving spouses.

Elder Law:

Medicare and Medi-Cal Planning for Long Term Nursing Care, Medi-Cal qualification matters, Medi-Cal state recovery matters, Protection of home, maximizing assets which can be maintained by a spouse and family upon an elder entering a long term nursing care facility, Community Spouse Resource Allowance Increase matters, Special Needs Trusts, Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts, and Financial abuse of the elderly matters.

Conservatorships:

Conservatorships of the Person and the Estate, General and limited Conservatorships.

Guardianships:

Guardianships of the Person and the Estate.