Estate Planning; Probate and Trust Administration

Blackburn & Stoll, LC, has the one of the largest estate planning, probate and trust administration practices in Utah, assisting in estate planning and wealth transfer issues for individuals and families with estates and assets of all sizes, values, and complexities.  Firm members, Michael D. Blackburn, Thomas Christensen, Jr., David J. Castleton, and Charles M. Bennett, are Fellows of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC), which is a national organization of trust and estate lawyers.  Nationwide, there are over 2,500 ACTEC Fellows, who are elected by their peers to the College for demonstrated excellence in trust and estate representation.   In Utah, there are only twenty-two ACTEC Fellows, and four of them are members of Blackburn & Stoll, LC.

The estate planning group represents individuals in estate and trust planning, charitable planning, business succession planning, estate and trust administration, and related areas. The firm’s practice includes the representation of numerous medical professionals respecting their businesses and estate planning.  Members of the group also provide counseling, litigation, and expert witness services to clients involved in estate and trust administration, probate litigation, will contests, trust contests, claims of breach of fiduciary duties, and conservatorship and guardianship disputes.

Our attorneys regularly write wills, revocable living trusts, living wills, medical directives, medical powers of attorney, durable powers of attorney, general HIPAA releases and organ donation agreements.  When the situation calls for additional planning, we are adept in the preparation of prenuptial and adoption agreements; irrevocable life insurance trusts and other arrangements utilizing life insurance; charitable remainder annuity trusts, charity lead trusts, and other charitable split interest arrangements; family limited partnerships, limited liability companies and other agreements relating to transfers of family businesses and family farms; and special needs trusts.  We also regularly consult with clients regarding social security planning, medicare and medicaid planning, retirement planning,  and guardian and conservatorship needs.

Our firm regularly assists clients through estate, probate and trust administration; including filing any necessary probate documents, completing transfers of real estate, life insurance, pension plans, and other assets, and preparation of tax returns, including final individual income tax, fiduciary, and estate tax returns.  We also have an active litigation practice, resolving estate and trust disputes when possible and taking cases to mediation or court when settlements are not possible.

Members of the firm’s Estate Planning Group conduct 50-100 seminars in various locations across the country each year, and are available to provide client seminars in appropriate settings.