Wills, Trusts and Estates
Dunton, Simmons & Dunton provides clients with sophisticated trust and estate tax planning services. Partners Ammon G. Dunton, Jr., Craig H. Smith, and Morgan W. Alley make up the firm's Wills, Trusts and Estates group.
In addition to drafting wills and trusts, we also draft and offer advice on durable powers of attorney, advance medical directives, medical powers of attorney (Morgan W. Alley), irrevocable life insurance trusts, family partnerships, and other documents associated with estate and wealth transfer planning (Craig H. Smith, Morgan W. Alley). We also assist personal administrators and executors with the process of estate administration (Ammon G. Dunton, Jr.).
Probate and Estate Administration
If you have lost a loved one, the last thing you want is to deal with the stress of a complex probate process. Before property can be distributed, however, fiduciaries may have extensive responsibilities for gathering and selling assets, locating heirs and giving them proper notice, satisfying creditors, obtaining the proceeds of life insurance policies and other non-probate property, obtaining appraisals, preparing accountings, and preparing and filing tax returns. Simply qualifying as an executor or personal administrator (if the deceased died without a will) can be confusing to novices. Dunton, Simmons & Dunton advises and assists clients through every step of settling their loved one's estate.
In addition to assisting clients through the process of estate administration, partner Craig H. Smith serves as Lancaster County, Virginia's Commissioner of Accounts.
Trust Administration
Estates in trust may require administration for years after your loved one has died. Our firm therefore has for many years focused heavily on trust administration alongside our core practice assisting clients with probate and estate administration. We advise trustees and beneficiaries, and we occasionally will act as trustee when so requested by long-term clients. Ammon G. Dunton, Jr. and Morgan W. Alley are the partners with primary responsibility for trust administration.
Mr. Dunton brings a wealth of experience in business and banking and as an asset manager to act as trustee on numerous trusts.
Mr. Dunton is aided by the statistical and stock analysis skills of his partner, Morgan Alley, who also will act as a trustee when requested to do so. They work together to act as trustees for trusts of selected firm clients. They also provide advice on fiduciary income taxation for trusts. The consequence of this approach is a substantial reduction in the costs of trust administration because bank trustees and other investment management professionals are not required. The trusts are managed individually, with separate client needs taken into account. This service is not available to the general public, but only to families with long-term relationships with the firm.
In addition to trust drafting and trust administration, we also provide representation for clients in probate disputes, including will contests and trust disputes. Contact our law office in White Stone, Virginia, to learn more.
Estate Planning
We are pleased to assist clients with will drafting and all of their other estate planning needs. Our goal is to help clients distribute their property to their intended beneficiaries as desired and limit exposure to unnecessary estate taxes. We also assist clients in sophisticated means of probate avoidance and probate cost minimization services. We believe strongly that each of our clients benefit from our experience in estate planning, wealth transfer and tax planning.
In addition to a consideration of financial matters, we aid clients in the development of living wills, powers of attorney and other estate planning instruments that provide a measure of protection in the event of an unexpected illness or injury. Through careful estate planning, we help our clients reduce the likelihood of family disputes, guardianship or conservatorship costs, and other challenges that can arise when an individual's wishes are not clearly defined.
Contact Dunton, Simmons & Dunton
To contact our Lancaster County wills and estates attorneys about estate planning, probate or trust administration services, call 804-435-5069, or contact us by e-mail.
