Estate Planning Services
Every client is unique and has different objectives and concerns. We design and help our clients to develop and implement a plan after careful consultation and consideration. We work closely with our clients’ accountants, insurance professionals and financial advisors in order to develop a coordinated plan that achieves the maximum efficiency in transferring the greatest amount of wealth to family and designated charities. In developing sophisticated estate plans, we utilize a variety of planning tools, including gifting strategies, charitable remainder trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, dynastic trusts and family foundations, in order to provide the greatest benefit immediately and for generations to come. We also assist our clients in use of powers of attorney to allow for management of assets and making of health care related decisions during lifetime.
Estate & Trust Administration
Our attorneys represent Personal Representatives and Trustees throughout the administration process, with a goal of helping our clients navigate efficiently through the process, and to reduce anxiety and uncertainty in a difficult time. We work closely with both individual and corporate trustees in all aspects of the administration process, including probate and trust administration, assistance with federal estate tax returns and state inheritance tax returns, funding trusts and the distribution of assets to beneficiaries and heirs. In addition, our firm’s litigation attorneys can assist in the representation of Personal Representatives and Trustees in estate and trust litigation matters and the efficient resolution of such disputes.
Business Succession & Tax Planning
Our attorneys have experience in working with business owners to develop effective business succession plans and to integrate these business succession plans into, and coordinate with, family estate planning objectives. For example, we create family limited partnerships and limited liability companies, incorporate insurance trust planning, and develop gifting programs, both non-charitable and charitable. In the integration of business and family succession planning, we also review and coordinate the pension and profit-sharing plan benefits and individual retirement accounts with the overall estate plan.
