At HagEstad Law Group, PLLC, we combine deep legal knowledge with a commitment to safeguarding your future. Our trusts and estates attorneys in Whitefish, MT, offer free consultations to help you meet your legal needs without undue cost.
30+
Years of Combined Experience
500+
Clients Served
Millions
of dollars saved for our clients
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Estate planning ensures that your wishes are acknowledged and your legacy is protected. Our comprehensive estate planning services include drafting wills, establishing trusts, and performing strategic planning to minimize taxes and avoid probate.
Estate Planning
A living will speaks for you when you can’t speak for yourself, outlining your wishes regarding medical treatment. We guide our clients in creating living wills that reflect their values and healthcare preferences.
Living Wills
Our trust lawyers can create tailored trust agreements that preserve your hard-earned assets for future generations. Whether revocable or irrevocable, trusts are among the most pivotal estate planning tools we manage for our Whitefish clients.
Trusts
Granting someone you trust power of attorney ensures that your financial and healthcare decisions are in good hands if you're unable to make them yourself. Our attorneys know how to draft clear, legally sound documents that leave no room for interpretation.
Power of Attorney
Advance healthcare directives serve to guarantee your care-related wishes, appointing an agent to make decisions if you're incapacitated. We help Whitefish residents create airtight directives to ensure that their preferences are respected.
Probate and estate administration can be complex. Our team can efficiently manage the process of validating wills and distributing assets, ensuring compliance with Montana laws every step of the way.
Probate and Estate Administration
We provide comprehensive administration services for estates and trusts in Whitefish, verifying that all taxes are filed and beneficiaries receive their due assets with minimal delay. Our attorneys are fiduciaries, meaning they have a legal duty to serve your interests.
Estate and Trust Administration
Our estate litigation lawyers represent businesses and individuals facing estate disputes in Whitefish. We focus on defense, formulating strategies to protect your interests in contests over wills, trusts, and estate administrations.
Estate Litigation
Contested wills can fracture families and drain estate resources. Our attorneys have abundant experience defending against will contests. They can ensure that your loved one's wishes are carried out and the estate's assets are preserved.
We steadfastly defend our clients in probate litigation matters, taking on challenges to wills, trusts, and estate administrations. Our highest priority is to resolve disputes efficiently while promoting your interests.
Probate Litigation
Setting up guardianship or conservatorship is a serious responsibility. Our attorneys have the knowledge required to lead clients through the relevant complex legal processes and look after the well-being of those who are unable to care for themselves.
Guardianship and Conservatorship
Navigating estate planning and probate in Montana requires nuanced legal guidance and support. A trusts and estates lawyer from HagEstad Law Group can help safeguard your assets — and your prosperity — while mitigating any legal challenges that arise along the way.
Our attorneys can answer your questions and provide the legal advice you need to make informed decisions.
Proper planning and legal assistance are the keys to a secure future. Contact HagEstad Law Group today for a free consultation.
We recognize what’s at stake in trust and estate matters, which is why our capable attorneys offer peerless legal knowledge and tailored strategies to meet our clients’ needs. Here’s what to expect when you work with us.
Initial Consultation
We’ll begin with a free, no-obligation consultation to better understand your situation and objectives.
Strategy Development
Following the initial consultation, our team will come up with a personalized strategy that aligns with your legal and financial goals.
Implementation
Next, we’ll set about implementing the solutions we’ve devised, whether it's drafting crucial documents or representing you in court.
Continuous Support
Our commitment to our clients extends beyond the office or the courtroom. We’re always available to offer ongoing advice and change course as needed.
Resolution
We’ll focus on seeking a swift and favorable resolution to your legal matters that maintains both your assets and your peace of mind.
Unshakeable Dedication
We offer each of our clients personalized attention to develop strategies that reflect their unique needs, goals, and values.
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Extensive Legal Knowledge
Our team’s thorough understanding of Montana and Arizona law provides a solid foundation for our estate planning services.
Client-Centric Philosophy
You and your family’s well-being is our chief concern. We’ll do everything possible to prioritize your interests, protect your legacy, and provide lasting confidence and security.
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G. Patrick HagEstad
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David J. HagEstad
Brien B. Birge
The Missoula, Montana-based attorneys at HagEstad Law Group aren’t just authorities in their field — they're devoted advocates and allies. Our team brings a wealth of experience and a personal touch to every case we take on, with a focus on estate planning and litigation.
Saved Millions
of client's money
Extensive Track Record
of Achieving Client Goals
500+
Clients Served
30+
Years of Combined Experience
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Estate planning goes far beyond drafting a will. It involves creating trusts, assigning powers of attorney, outlining healthcare directives, and much more to ensure comprehensive management of your affairs upon incapacity or death.
Starting early allows you to shield your assets, minimize estate taxes, and provide clear instructions for your care and the distribution of your estate. In doing so, it can prevent potential family disputes and legal complications.
A trusts and estates attorney will possess a wealth of knowledge in state-specific laws and can offer tailored advice to protect your assets effectively. They can fulfill complex legal requirements to ensure that your estate plan meets your specific needs.
A skilled lawyer can also be indispensable for drafting legally sound documents that accurately reflect your wishes and withstand various challenges.
The main difference between a will and a trust lies in how and when your assets are distributed.
A will takes effect after death and requires probate, potentially leading to a time-consuming public process. A trust, on the other hand, can help you manage your assets during your lifetime and after death, offering privacy and the chance to avoid probate.
The choice will ultimately come down to your individual circumstances, including the size of your estate, your privacy concerns, and how you wish to distribute your assets. A qualified trusts and estates attorney can assess your situation and help determine the most beneficial option for you.
While it's possible to go through probate without an attorney, it can be complex and fraught with legal pitfalls, especially for larger estates or instances where there are disputes among beneficiaries.
An attorney can help streamline the process, satisfying the myriad legal requirements, minimizing disputes, and ensuring that the estate is administered appropriately. Without professional guidance, you risk delays, increased costs, and the potential for contentious litigation, which can deplete the estate's assets.
An estate attorney plays a crucial role in defending the validity of the will or trust. They can overcome various legal challenges, curate important documents, and uphold the decedent's wishes in court if necessary.
These abilities are vital when it comes to managing the complexities of estate law. Working with a skilled lawyer can help guarantee that an estate is distributed as intended while minimizing the emotional and financial toll on the parties involved.
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