Practice Areas
Bellefleur Estate Law provides thoughtful legal guidance for individuals and families navigating estate planning, probate, trust administration, guardianship, and conservatorship matters in Washington and California. Whether you are planning ahead or dealing with a current legal issue, our firm is here to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Probate and Trust Administration
Probate and trust administration involve managing and distributing a deceased person’s assets according to their will, trust, or state law. This process includes identifying assets, paying debts and taxes, and ensuring beneficiaries receive their inheritances properly and legally.
We advise executors, administrators, and trustees on their legal duties, asset management, and court processes. We engage with beneficiaries and the courts to defend against allegations of fiduciary liability. We also offer services to beneficiaries who need independent legal advice about their rights to information and inheritances.
Guardianship and Conservatorship
A guardianship and/or conservatorship is a legal process in which the court appoints a responsible individual to make decisions for someone who is unable to manage their personal or financial affairs due to age, illness, or incapacity. It is designed to protect vulnerable individuals while ensuring their rights and best interests are respected.
Our clients are often family members who are searching to a way to care for their loved one. We represent nominated guardians and conservators in court proceedings and beyond. We also represent allegedly incapacitated individuals to assert their rights to preserve their own autonomy.
Estate Planning
Estate planning involves organizing and managing a person’s assets to ensure their wishes are carried out after death or incapacitation. It typically includes creating legal documents like wills, trusts, and powers of attorney to protect beneficiaries and minimize taxes or legal complications.
We offer services ranging from basic estate plans to complex legacy trust creation and management. The services we provide are personal and compassionate with an eye on the ever-changing state and federal laws and regulations.