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Tag: Chris Arakaky

Do I Still Need a Living Trust in Virginia After the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?

Do I Still Need a Living Trust in Virginia After the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?

October 2, 2025 | By: Chris Arakaky   With the recent passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia may think they do not need a Living Trust moving forward. However, such a conclusion would be premature and not necessarily true.   One Big Beautiful Bill The One… Continue reading Do I Still Need a Living Trust in Virginia After the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?

The Critical Step Most People Skip: Funding Your Trust

August 15, 2025 | By: Chris Arakaky   A Living Revocable Trust is a valuable tool that helps individuals achieve their estate planning goals. If done properly, a Trust can ensure that a person’s assets and property will pass to their surviving spouse and children without having to go to court. Dealing with a death… Continue reading The Critical Step Most People Skip: Funding Your Trust

Do Beneficiaries Have the Right to File Lawsuits on Behalf of an Estate?

In Virginia, do heirs have the right to file lawsuits on behalf of the estate? In Kittrell v. Fowler, the beneficiaries of a living trust...

Do Beneficiaries Have the Right to File Lawsuits on Behalf of an Estate?   October 4, 2023   |   By: Christopher M. Arakaky   When a decedent passes away, the beneficiaries of his or her last will and testament or living trust have the right to inherit the assets owned by the decedent, subject to the… Continue reading Do Beneficiaries Have the Right to File Lawsuits on Behalf of an Estate?

Estate Planning for Small and Family-Owned Businesses

Small Business and Family-Owned Business Estate Planning

August 28, 2023   |   By: Chris Arakaky   Estate Planning for Small and Family-Owned Businesses   This article is only meant to serve as a general overview of business succession planning for small and family-owned businesses. Given that there is such a diverse and wide variety of business types, the specific factors to consider and… Continue reading Estate Planning for Small and Family-Owned Businesses

Conflicts Between Fiduciaries and Beneficiaries

By: Chris Arakaky  [11/8/22] When a person dies without a will, the person responsible for managing the estate is called an “administrator”. If the person died with a will, they would normally appoint somebody for this position, an “executor”. Both the administrator and executor are the “personal representative” of an estate. If a person executed… Continue reading Conflicts Between Fiduciaries and Beneficiaries

Virginia Standby Guardianship

By: Chris Arakaky  [9/28/22] As terrible and unfortunate as childhood bereavement may be, it is sadly more common than we might expect. In fact, about 6.5 percent of children ages 0-18 will experience the death of at least one parent.[1] Estate planning is a difficult topic enough as it is, but the issue of guardianship… Continue reading Virginia Standby Guardianship

International Estate Planning

By: Christopher Arakaky  [8/15/22] A consequence of living in an interconnected world is that there are now more considerations in planning for estates. As people cross borders for employment, marriage, quality of life, reunification, business, etc., their estates often accumulate property located in different countries. American citizens and lawful residents may have assets in foreign… Continue reading International Estate Planning

Incapacity In Virginia

By: Chris Arakaky According to Virginia law, a person is legally considered incapacitated if a court finds they are unable to evaluate information, interactions with others, and their surroundings to such an extent they lack the capacity to: (i) provide for their health, care, safety, or therapeutic needs without the assistance or protection of a… Continue reading Incapacity In Virginia

Probate in Virginia and Alternatives

By: Chris Arakaky Probate is the official proving and recording of a decedent’s last will and testament. It can also refer to the general administration of the decedent’s estate when there is no will (which is called an intestate estate). In Virginia, the primary person responsible and accountable to the circuit court and the commissioner… Continue reading Probate in Virginia and Alternatives

Estate Planning for College Students

By: Christopher M. Arakaky There are many considerations when planning the transition from high school graduate to college student, and an estate plan for a young adult should be included in this. A well-drafted estate plan will help put parents’ minds at ease as they send their child away to college and can help reduce… Continue reading Estate Planning for College Students

Intern Program

As part of our effort to recruit, develop and retail the best and brightest attorneys, Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig offers a summer intern program for promising law school students who are looking to work as part of an innovative and incredibly successful team. With a global team of lawyers, selected candidates are able to work on high level projects in a collaborative space.

Paralegals and Legal Support Staff

At Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig, our team of paralegals and staff work together collaboratively along side our attorneys toward a common goal. We have created a positive work environment where our paralegals and legal assistants work to successfully reach firm-wide goals and support each other to combine individual strengths to enhance team performance. They regularly assist our attorneys with organizing and maintaining files, conducting legal research, and preparing documents.