Category Archives: Estate Planning
What Is Trust Administration in Louisiana – and When Can It Turn Into a Dispute?
A lot of people think a trust solves everything automatically. It does not. After the trust creator dies or becomes incapacitated, someone still has to administer the trust properly. That means identifying assets, following the…
Filiation Fights in Louisiana Successions: When an Heir Has to Prove Parentage After Death
Filiation disputes arise when someone claims the right to inherit as a child of the decedent, but the legal parent-child relationship was never fully established before death. In an intestate succession, descendants are the first…
What Out-of-State Families Need to Know About Louisiana Successions
Families are often surprised to learn that handling part of an estate in another state does not always solve the Louisiana side of the problem. If the person who died owned Louisiana property, there may…
Forced Heirship Deep Dive: Who Qualifies, When Representation Matters, and Why the Date of Death Controls
Forced heirship in Louisiana begins with Article 1493. Today, the category generally includes descendants of the first degree who are twenty-three years of age or younger at the decedent’s death and descendants of the first…
What Is Succession Litigation in Louisiana, and When Does a Family Need It?
Many successions are routine. Some are not. A succession becomes litigation when there is a real dispute that cannot be resolved through ordinary administration. That may mean a fight over a will, over who the…
Can a Will Be Invalidated in Louisiana? What Courts Actually Look At
When families start asking whether a will can be thrown out, the real question is whether the document should control what happens to the estate. In Louisiana, courts do not invalidate wills just because someone…
Can a Louisiana Will Be Defended in Court? What Happens When Someone Tries to Break It
A will contest does not always mean the will is weak. Sometimes the will is valid, the evidence is strong, and the people receiving under the document need counsel prepared to defend it. In Louisiana,…
Is a Louisiana Notarial Testament Really Self-Proving? Not Always After the 2025 Change
Not every notarial testament is now self-proving merely because it is called notarial. After Act 30 of 2025, a notarial testament executed under Civil Code article 1576 is self-proving only if it is signed on…
When Is a Power of Attorney Not Enough in Louisiana?
A power of attorney is an important document, but it is not a cure-all. Many families assume that once a power of attorney is signed, every future problem is handled. In reality, there are situations…
Estate Planning Checklist for Louisiana Parents of Minor Children
When you have minor children, estate planning stops being just about property. It becomes about protection, stability, and making sure the right people are in the right roles if something happens to you. A Baton…
