In our post last week, we discussed the case of Ernie Banks' will. If you recall, that will, which was filed by his caregiver, is being contested by his wife. It is for anyone who is dealing with a will to understand how different aspects of the estate can lead to either ordinary or extraordinary legal services. In the case of a contested will, the legal services would be considered extraordinary.

We know that you probably just want things with your loved one's estate to fall into place quickly and easily. When that occurs, you will likely only deal with ordinary legal services, such as reviewing the will, preparing the probate court filings and similar activities. Even dealing with how to handle creditors is considered an ordinary legal service for the purpose of estate administration.

Extraordinary legal services are those that are required for some complex estates. As we mentioned before, a contested will is a situation that requires extraordinary legal services. Dealing with certain tax issues, such as Qualified Terminable Interest Property and reverse QTIPs, might require extraordinary legal services.

Estates that include business assets often require extraordinary legal services. This can include having to carry on the business dealings and handling commercial issues associated with the estate. Issues with employees are usually considered extraordinary legal concerns.

We know that this might seem overly complicated. We know that dealing with all these aspects of the will can seem overwhelming. We can help you to learn about how your loved one's estate will need to be handled to ensure that you are prepared as you move through the process.