Estate Planning
Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, probate and succession planning across Washington, D.C., Florida and Kentucky.
A good estate plan does two things: it makes sure your wishes are carried out, and it spares the people you love a difficult process at the worst possible time. TrustSphere builds plans that do both — from a straightforward will and powers of attorney to layered trust structures for families with property, business interests or holdings in more than one state.
Estate planning is rarely confined to a single jurisdiction. Families own a home in one state and a vacation property in another; a business formed in D.C. passes to heirs in Florida or Kentucky. Because we practice across all three, we design plans that account for assets and beneficiaries wherever they sit, and we handle the probate and administration that follow.
What we handle
Wills
Drafting and updating wills that direct how your assets pass, name guardians for minor children, and appoint the people you trust to carry out your wishes.
Revocable Trusts
Living trusts that let your estate pass outside of probate, keep your affairs private, and stay flexible and changeable during your lifetime.
Irrevocable Trusts
Trust structures used for tax planning, asset protection and legacy goals where giving up control in exchange for those benefits makes sense.
Powers of Attorney
Financial and durable powers of attorney that let someone you choose act on your behalf if you become unable to manage your own affairs.
Healthcare Directives
Advance directives and healthcare powers of attorney that record your medical wishes and name who speaks for you when you cannot.
Probate & Succession
Estate administration, probate representation and succession planning, including the transfer of business interests to the next generation.
Multi-jurisdictional capability
The formalities for a valid will, the rules governing trusts, and the probate process itself differ across D.C., Florida and Kentucky. Florida's homestead protections and probate procedure, in particular, have features that surprise families who planned elsewhere. We design estate plans that hold up wherever your assets and heirs are located, and coordinate administration across jurisdictions when an estate touches more than one.
Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?
It depends on your goals. A will directs how assets pass but still goes through probate. A revocable living trust can keep your estate out of probate, preserve privacy and ease administration — advantages that matter more as an estate grows or spans multiple states. For many families the right plan uses both.
What happens if I die without an estate plan?
Your assets pass according to your state's intestacy statute, which decides who inherits regardless of what you would have wanted, and a court appoints the people who administer your estate and any guardians for minor children. A plan replaces those default rules with your own choices.
I made a plan in another state — is it still valid after moving?
Often it is valid but no longer optimal. Differences in probate, homestead and spousal rules between states can undercut a plan that worked where it was drafted. After a move, especially to or from Florida, it's worth having the plan reviewed rather than assuming it still does what you intended.
How often should I update my estate plan?
Review it after major life events — marriage, divorce, a birth, a death, a significant change in assets, or a move to another state — and otherwise every few years. Plans that are never revisited are a common source of unintended outcomes.
Facing a estate planning matter?
The first consultation is confidential, and we respond within one business day.