LOUDOUN COUNTY'S TOP-RATED LAWYERS Estate Planning & Probate
Adam L. Engel, Esq. leads the Estate Planning & Probate practice at Shin Law Office in Leesburg, VA, offering families in Loudoun County tailored strategies to protect assets, reduce risks, and ensure their legacy is preserved according to their wishes.
ABOUT ATTORNEY ADAM L. ENGEL, ESQ.
Protect Your Family,
Preserve Your Legacy with Adam L. Engel, Esq.
Adam L. Engel, Esq., of Shin Law Office, provides trusted counsel in estate planning and probate law throughout Loudoun County and Northern Virginia. He focuses on helping families and individuals protect their assets, minimize risks, and ensure that legacies are carried out exactly as intended. With a compassionate yet detail-driven approach, Adam guides clients through the often complex process of wills, trusts, probate, and estate administration.
ARE YOU ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS?
How much will taxes and delays cost your estate?
Who decides your family’s future if you don’t?
Will the court control your inheritance?
Who makes decisions if you can’t?
ARE YOU ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS?
How much will taxes and delays cost your estate?
Who decides your family’s future if you don’t?
Will the court control your inheritance?
Who makes decisions if you can’t?
Wills & Trusts: Protecting Your Legacy
We draft customized wills and trusts that ensure your assets pass to the right people with minimal court involvement. Our tailored strategies safeguard your legacy and give your family clarity and peace of mind.
Probate Guidance for Executors and Families
We guide executors and families through every step of the probate process, from filing to final distribution. Our counsel helps you avoid costly mistakes and resolve challenges quickly and efficiently.
Estate Tax Planning and Asset Protection
We design tax-smart strategies that reduce unnecessary estate tax exposure while protecting your wealth from creditors. Our asset protection plans preserve what you’ve built and keep more in your family’s hands.
Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Family Planning
We help families establish guardianships and conservatorships to protect minors and incapacitated adults. Our planning ensures your loved ones are cared for by the people you trust most.
Long-Term Care and Elder Law Solutions
We create proactive elder law and Medicaid strategies that secure quality long-term care without draining family resources. Our solutions protect assets while ensuring seniors receive the dignity and care they deserve.
Resolving Estate and Probate Disputes
We represent clients in will contests, trust disputes, and fiduciary conflicts with strength and precision. Our firm works to resolve disputes quickly, preserving family relationships while protecting your rights.
Advanced Planning for Digital and International Assets
We craft estate plans that cover cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, PulseChain, etc), online accounts, and property held overseas. Our advanced planning strategies ensure no asset is overlooked and your legacy extends seamlessly across borders.
Answered by an Attorney at Shin Law Office, Loudoun County, VA.
Estate Planning & Probate FAQs
The FAQs provide clear, practical answers to common estate planning and probate questions, helping clients understand wills, trusts, probate, guardianship, tax strategies, and long-term planning so they can make informed decisions with confidence.
Core Estate Planning
Q: Why do I need a will if I already have a trust?
A: A will acts as a backup document to ensure any assets not included in your trust are still distributed according to your wishes. It can also appoint guardians for minor children, something a trust cannot do.
Q: What’s the difference between a codicil and rewriting my will?
A: A codicil is a legal amendment that changes specific provisions in your will without replacing the entire document. A new will revokes and replaces the old one entirely.
Q: How does a revocable living trust work?
A: A revocable trust allows you to transfer assets into the trust while keeping full control during your lifetime. After your death, the trust distributes assets to your beneficiaries without going through probate.
Q: When is an irrevocable trust better than a revocable trust?
A: Irrevocable trusts cannot be easily changed but provide stronger asset protection and potential tax advantages, making them ideal for high-value estates or asset protection planning.
Q: What is a special needs trust?
A: A special needs trust ensures a beneficiary with a disability receives financial support without jeopardizing eligibility for government benefits like Medicaid or SSI.
Q: Why would someone set up a charitable trust?
A: Charitable trusts allow you to support causes you care about while receiving tax benefits and maintaining some control over how your gift is used.
Q: What is a testamentary trust?
A: A testamentary trust is created through your will and only goes into effect after your death. It’s often used to manage assets for minor children or dependents.
Q: What is the difference between a financial and healthcare power of attorney?
A: A financial power of attorney allows someone to manage your money and property, while a healthcare power of attorney authorizes someone to make medical decisions if you cannot.
Q: Do I really need an advance medical directive in Virginia?
A: Yes, an advance directive ensures your healthcare wishes are respected if you become incapacitated, including preferences for life-sustaining treatments.
Q: What is guardianship vs. conservatorship?
A: Guardianship appoints someone to make personal decisions for an incapacitated person (like healthcare), while conservatorship appoints someone to manage their finances.
Probate & Estate Administration
Q: What is probate, and why is it required?
A: Probate is the legal process of validating a will, settling debts, and distributing assets. In Virginia, probate is required if you have assets titled solely in your name.
Q: What does an executor actually do?
A: An executor manages the probate process: filing documents, paying debts, accounting for assets, and distributing property to beneficiaries.
Q: What happens if beneficiaries disagree with the executor?
A: Beneficiaries may challenge the executor’s actions in court, especially if they suspect mismanagement, fraud, or breach of fiduciary duty.
Q: How are estate assets valued?
A: Assets are typically appraised by professionals or assigned fair market values to ensure proper distribution and tax compliance.
Q: What happens if an estate has more debt than assets?
A: Creditors are paid in a legally mandated order of priority, and beneficiaries may receive less or nothing if debts exceed the estate’s value.
Tax & Asset Protection
Q: What is probate, and why is it required?
A: Probate is the legal process of validating a will, settling debts, and distributing assets. In Virginia, probate is required if you have assets titled solely in your name.
Q: What does an executor actually do?
A: An executor manages the probate process: filing documents, paying debts, accounting for assets, and distributing property to beneficiaries.
Q: What happens if beneficiaries disagree with the executor?
A: Beneficiaries may challenge the executor’s actions in court, especially if they suspect mismanagement, fraud, or breach of fiduciary duty.
Q: How are estate assets valued?
A: Assets are typically appraised by professionals or assigned fair market values to ensure proper distribution and tax compliance.
Q: What happens if an estate has more debt than assets?
A: Creditors are paid in a legally mandated order of priority, and beneficiaries may receive less or nothing if debts exceed the estate’s value.
Family-Focused Estate Planning
Q: How do I designate guardians for my children?
A: You can name guardians in your will. Without this, the court decides who cares for your children, which may not align with your wishes.
Q: What should blended families consider in estate planning?
A: Stepchildren are not automatically heirs under Virginia law. Estate planning ensures all intended children, stepchildren, and spouses are provided for.
Q: How do I provide for a disabled family member without harming their benefits?
A: A special needs trust allows you to provide supplemental care while preserving their eligibility for Medicaid and SSI.
Q: Can I include charitable giving in my estate plan?
A: Yes, you can include charitable trusts, donor-advised funds, or specific bequests in your will or trust to leave a philanthropic legacy.
End-of-Life & Long-Term Care Planning
Q: What is Medicaid planning?
A: Medicaid planning helps protect your assets while ensuring eligibility for long-term care coverage, including nursing home expenses.
Q: What is a healthcare proxy?
A: A healthcare proxy is someone you designate to make medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated.
Q: Can I include funeral and burial wishes in my estate plan?
A: Yes, you can create legally binding instructions for burial, cremation, and funeral arrangements to ensure your wishes are followed.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Q: What are the grounds for contesting a will in Virginia?
A: Common grounds include undue influence, lack of mental capacity, fraud, or improper execution of the will.
Q: Can a trust be challenged in court?
A: Yes, beneficiaries may contest a trust if they believe the trustee acted improperly, mismanaged assets, or violated their fiduciary duties.
Q: What happens if beneficiaries cannot agree?
A: Disputes may be resolved through mediation or litigation, with the court making the final decision if necessary.
Q: Can probate decisions be appealed?
A: Yes, probate appeals are possible if errors in law or procedure occurred during the probate process.
Niche & Complex Planning
Q: Do I need to plan for my digital assets?
A: Yes, estate plans should address access and transfer of online accounts, cryptocurrency, and digital property.
Q: How can I transfer real estate without probate?
A: Tools like transfer-on-death deeds, joint tenancy, or living trusts can keep property out of probate.
Q: What is international estate planning?
A: If you own property abroad or have dual citizenship, international estate planning coordinates multiple legal systems to prevent conflicts and unnecessary taxes.
Based in Loudoun County and serving clients across Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland, we know that when everything’s on the line, the right attorney doesn’t just make a difference—they determine the outcome.
