When a family member has passed, it is likely that you are reading their will to determine what should happen with the assets and possessions. Occasionally, it may seem that your loved ones have left you out in their wills or were forced into giving all their worldly goods to another person under false pretenses. In this case, you may need to hire an estate attorney. These are just a few of the ways they can help you:

Some people will give their benefactors a part of their inheritance just before they die. It is known as "a gift". It is because the tax burden is reduced by spreading out the receipt of gifts. A large lump-sum payment will require you pay a lot of tax. However, the government could make a ruling stating that you are still required to pay large amounts of tax. An estate lawyer can assist you in disputing this ruling.

Today, the majority of families are considered "non-traditional", which means that they do no longer fit into the traditional nuclear family model, consisting of mom, dad, and two and half children. This includes same-sex couples as well as unmarried and single-parent families. If you fall into one of these categories, an estate attorney can help you draft a will that will ensure your final wishes are respected.

A will can also be subjected to probation, which is when a will goes to court for verification (after the author's death). In this process, a number issues are examined, such as the validity and content of a will, if another beneficiary contests it, and if taxes are due to the government on any part of heir estate. Conflicts between beneficiaries are resolved here.

While there are other ways in which an estate attorney can help ensure that the wishes of your loved one are followed, these three are the most common. If you think that you've been unfairly left off of a will, or that the will is not valid, then you should contact an estate lawyer to assist you.