Navigating the complexities of estate planning can be daunting, especially when it comes to addressing the sentimental and valuable personal property you wish to leave to your loved ones. Death and loss can often stir intense emotions and create conflicts among siblings and family members. One effective way to mitigate potential disputes is by clearly specifying which items go to which beneficiaries in your will or trust.
Read MoreSo often, when we think about estate planning, we think about the dying process – not a very comfortable subject to face. While death and making sure you have a plan in place for what happens to your assets after you pass away is very important, it’s not the only subject we handle throughout the estate planning process. The “life” side of estate planning is just as important when we are drafting your comprehensive plan. Setting aside wills and trusts, the “life” side of estate planning generally focuses on a careful drafting of the following documents:
Read MoreIn the moments and days after a car accident, it’s natural to want to update friends and family, share photos, or reassure people that you’re okay. Posting on social media has become second nature to those who use it. Realistically, what you post online after an accident can be used as evidence against you in your personal injury claim—even if you believe the post is harmless.
If you’ve been injured in a Virginia car accident, being cautious on social media is not just smart—it can directly affect your ability to recover compensation.
Read MoreAt Wakefield Law, every day we meet with clients who want to create trusts or amend their existing trusts. One of the first questions we ask clients is whether their trust is FUNDED. Many of our clients have not heard of the trust funding process (even the ones who worked with attorneys the first time when they drafted their trust). Creating a trust is a powerful step toward protecting your family members and assets, avoiding probate, and making life easier in the event of incapacity or death. But here’s the part many people don’t realize:
Read MoreAt Wakefield Law, we have heard time and time again that deciding who is executor, trustee, or any other fiduciary is one of the hardest parts of the process. Sometimes it’s even harder to choose backups – who would serve if your primary choice is not around or is incapacitated? When clients sit down to create an estate plan, they tend to focus on the documents themselves—trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives. These, of course, are vital, but one of the most important decisions in the entire process is often the most underestimated: choosing the right person to serve as your trustee, executor, or agent.
Read MoreTrusts are increasingly common tools for probate avoidance, asset protection, and ensuring your financial legacy is protected for the generations to come. However, in our practice, we’ve seen many folks who think that once the trust is signed, their estate plan is done and can be shelved until such time that it is needed. In reality, a trust is a living part of your overall financial plan. It should grow and adapt as your life and the law change.
Read MoreAfter an accident that was caused by someone else, injuries, medical expenses, lost time from work, and pain and suffering can be extremely disruptive to your life. If this happens to someone, they have a legal right to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses in a personal injury claim. At our firm, we’ve been representing personal injury clients for over thirty years and helping them with the process. From receiving the care they need to being compensated for what they’ve gone through, we’re there from start to finish to ensure they and their families’ rights are protected. Here’s why having an experienced attorney in your corner can make the difference.
Read MoreAt Wakefield Law, we help clients from all walks of life with their estate planning needs. Trusts, wills, powers of attorney, deeds, and more are used to ensure that our clients wishes are respected and their assets are protected throughout their lifetimes and after their passing. Frequently, we hear from clients who have estate plans that were drafted years ago – they often have questions about whether their documents are compliant with current law, but also they need to make changes to their documents to reflect their current wishes. Changing the agents in charge of administration of your documents or updating how inheritance is handled in a plan are very common. We try to make handling those critical updates as easy and affordable as possible. Don’t wait on making updates – here’s why getting them done is so important:
Read MoreWhen most people hear “estate planning,” they imagine stacks of complicated legal documents, spending too much time and money in an attorney’s office, and documents that might only be needed for the rich or elderly. The truth is, getting your estate plan in order is far easier than most people think. Many of our clients come to us saying the same thing, something like: “I want to put together a plan because my parents had a plan and things were so easy for me after they passed.” Alternatively, we also hear this a lot: “I need a plan because I just spent the past two years stuck in probate court on my parents’ estate – and paid thousands in legal fees and probate taxes!” Estate planning does a simple set of jobs – avoidance of delay, conflict, and unnecessary cost - doing it now can spare your loved ones from going through a big confusing and expensive mess after you’re gone.
Read MoreSummer is coming to a close and the weather is changing. Hopefully, you had some special time with family this summer and maybe even spent some time somewhere special. If your family or friends have a vacation home that is the hot spot of the summer, or a cabin in the woods, it can be such an incredible source of memorable experiences. At Wakefield Law, we work with clients all the time who have second homes or vacation spots. Maybe it’s for relaxation, or maybe it’s a short-term rental with investment focus. Not only does a beach house or mountain cabin offer a consistent retreat from busy city life, but it can also be a way to build wealth and invest in the future.
Read MoreHaving your day in court to fight for your rights can feel like the most important way to protect your rights and achieve justice – at our firm, we work with these types of clients all the time. However, the fight and winning a lawsuit can feel like crossing the finish line. Picture this: You’ve presented your case, the court agreed with your side of the story, and you now hold a judgment in your favor. But here’s the hard truth: that judgment is just a piece of paper until it’s enforced. If the defendant doesn’t voluntarily pay, you’re not done—you’re just getting started.
Read MoreEvery day, we work with clients who run businesses. Debts arise all the time, and it’s not a sign of a poorly run business, it’s just a normal part of the process. Whether it’s a dispute with a customer, an unreasonable party, or lack of communication from the other party, we work every day to solve these problems in collections law. When you are owed money, whether personally or in your business, it can be hard to know what to do. You have probably already tried sending a second invoice, texting a reminder, or calling the person to make your case. But what if they refuse to pay the money owed to you? Or what if they just don’t respond to your communications? Are you out of luck? Should you just take the loss and move on?
You don’t have to! In fact, there are more than a few ways to get your money collected from the individual or business that owes you. However, these methods take valuable time that you don’t want to spend away from your day-to-day work. That’s where an experienced collection law firm comes in.
Read MoreWhen most people think of estate planning, it can be a little overwhelming. Feeling like you don’t know where to start can cause delay. However, we always say think about the process one piece at a time – if you have minor children, you need to set up guardianship.
Read More“I don’t need to do estate planning, I don’t have millions of dollars!” “I’ll get to it when I’m older or if I get ill, I’m healthy and don’t need to think about it now.” “My family gets along. If something happens to me, they won’t fight and end up in court.”
These are some examples of common ideas about estate planning for younger or healthy families. Unfortunately, since this is one of the areas in which we specialize, we see the other side of things and how families and finances can go sideways after death or incapacity. Planning for the future responsibly is not tied to having a certain value of assets or impending illness. Making plans for the “God-Forbids” is the most loving thing you can do for those close to you. It involves some difficult decisions, particularly when it comes to the well-being of minor children, but it’s one of the only ways you can take unnecessary suffering from your loved ones if you’re not around anymore. With our clients, we always stress that one of the most crucial steps you can take as a parent is to designate guardianship for your children in the event that you are no longer able to care for them. This blog post will explore the importance of both permanent and temporary guardianship and highlight the need for a comprehensive estate plan to ensure your children’s needs are met immediately and efficiently.
Read MoreIf you’ve just been in a car accident caused by someone else driving negligently, the moments afterward can feel chaotic and overwhelming. Your medical and financial wellbeing can feel at risk and knowing where to turn can be challenging, but at Wakefield Law, when we work with clients on their personal injury cases, we always say what you do right after the accident (or as close after as possible) can make all the difference—not just for your health, but for your ability to recover damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Read MoreFor many families, the home is more than just an asset—it’s a place of memories, stability, and holds significant emotional value. But when a homeowner passes away, that same home can become a source of stress, delay, and even conflict if it’s not properly protected with proper estate documents. At Wakefield Law, we talk with our clients every day about how trusts can be used to hold real estate and ensure safe and efficient transfer of one of the most valuable assets to loved ones. One of the most effective ways to safeguard your home and ease the burden on your loved ones is by placing it into a trust.
Read MoreAt Wakefield Law, we have many clients who run businesses. Those businesses often sell their goods or services to other businesses. We also have clients who own commercial properties and rent those properties to businesses. When a business contracts with another business for goods, services, or leases commercial space to another company, a well-drafted contract is your first line of defense in the event that a dispute arises. But what happens when the business itself can't—or won’t—pay? That’s where a personal guarantee shows its value.
Read MoreAt Wakefield Law, we’ve been helping clients with their personal injury cases since 1995. We believe every personal injury client deserves expert legal insight without unnecessary pressure. We, like most honest and experienced firms, offer free consultations for personal injury cases—with no obligation to hire us. Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident or another incident caused by negligence, this first meeting is a vital step toward protecting your rights and understanding your path forward.
Read MoreWe deal with this subject all the time with our clients - It’s a common impulse: “I love all my children equally—so I’ll name them all as my Agents.” The goal to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings with estate planning documents is noble, but the practical consequences of appointing multiple children as co-Executors or co-Trustees can be anything but peaceful.
Read MoreRunning a business is a hard job – often, as a business owner or executive with a business, you wear many hats. You can be the payroll department, IT department, and business growth manager (and that’s just what you have to do on Monday!) When it comes to getting paid for the services you render or goods you deliver, there’s nothing more important to the success of your venture. When unpaid invoices pile up, they don’t just disrupt your cash flow—they rob your business of the momentum you’ve worked so hard to build. At our firm, we believe your time and resources should be spent growing your business, not chasing down debts. Sure, you might be able to chase down a customer and finally get some payments, but how much time have you wasted? At Wakefield Law, we offer a smarter, more aligned way to handle business debt collection:
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