California estate planning attorneys have had their eye on this story today. Anyone who watches the news knows by now that a man named Joseph Stack purposefully crashed a plane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas last week.

What many people don’t know is that when he crashed, he killed a man named Vernon Hunter. Hunter’s family is now suing Stack’s estate, and while they did tell the media that their hearts go out to Stack’s wife Stacy, they are aware that she is the executor of his estate.

Imagine your spouse or child in a situation not unlike this one: you’ve passed away and a judgment against your estate is something that your loved one will have to be responsible for while also grieving his or her loss. Not only is this menatlly and emotionally taxing, it’s also a responsibility laden with a variety of issues, including proper record keeping, no formal education in estate planning, and perhaps worst of all, clouded judgement caused by fatigue and being overwhelmed.

These are all good reasons to seek out the help of a Newport Beach estate planning lawyer. An attorney that specializes in trusts and estates can tell you whether your estate should name a family member as the trustee or executor. Only after reviewing your very unique situation should the decision be made — and it should be made by someone who knows the law to the letter, not by some Internet program that can’t advise you otherwise.

If you’re ready to start planning your estate, or if you’d like to revise the trustee of your estate, call Matsen today. Our experienced estate planning and California asset protection lawyers can help you decide what’s best for your estate and your family.