Maria and Barbara were Don's neighbors for over a decade and his closest friends. In fact, when Don's wife passed away several years ago, they became the closest to relatives he had, aside from his two dogs.
Maria treated Don as a daughter did a father. It was no surprise that in his will, he assigned her as his estate's personal representative.
The will also stated that Barbara would inherit $100,000 and custody of his two dogs. Maria would get the rest of his estate and remaining assets valued at $500,000.
As the years passed, Don falls ill and gets admitted to the hospital. For two months, he was bed-ridden. Maria visited him every other day during the ordeal while Barbara only made the trip once.
Feeling abandoned and fading fast, he alters his will by crossing out Barbara's name and writing in Maria's, leaving Maria as the sole beneficiary. Shortly after, Don passes.
When the will is changed at the last moment and a beneficiary is removed, several complications may arise that can lead to costly litigation and tarnished relationships.
Maria enlisted our help to oversee her role as personal representative and to honor Don's last dying wishes. We successfully helped Maria and Don achieve their goals without litigation.
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