INDIAN WILLS FOR TRIBAL MEMBERS!!

Since 2005, the Institute for Indian Estate Planning and Probate at Seattle University School of Law has provided will drafting and estate planning services through its Summer Intern Program, which places specially trained law students on reservations, nationwide, to do full-time estate planning work for ten weeks during the summer.

As Douglas Nash, Director of the Institute, has stated, “estate planning is important in many respects including allowing Indian people the opportunity to make informed decisions about their property, keeping land in trust status and Indian ownership and avoiding further fractionation.” In fact, 87% of the wills done under Institute projects have reduced or avoided further fractionation of trust interests!

All interns work under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney and are specially trained to counsel tribal members on estate planning options they have that reduce or avoid fractionation – and even probate. Wills are drafted to be valid under tribal, federal and state laws as needed.

The program is paid for by the tribes served and, in turn, provides services at no cost to individual tribal members!

The Institute has other estate planning programs available to tribes that can be put in place separately or in conjunction with the summer program to provide year around services to tribal members.

 

For more information, contact Doug Nash at dnash@seattleu.edu, (206) 398-4276, or

Erica Wolf at wolfer@seattleu.edu, (206) 398-4277, or go to www.indianwills.org