Estate Planning

Protecting wealth and legacy from generation to generation is a complex and challenging task, requiring thorough knowledge of numerous legal disciplines, experience, insight, and creative thinking. We provide extensive counsel as we analyze each client’s personal, business, tax needs, and intentions. We also serve the changing needs of growing entrepreneurs and start-up owners as they seek increased personal representation.

We enjoy getting to know our clients, their families, and their businesses. Everyone, at one time or another, needs some aspect of estate planning. We are sensitive to the emotional and financial challenges faced by spouses who are suddenly widowed. We honor the grieving process and put measures in place to help the surviving spouse cope with the legal issues that ensue upon the death of a spouse. We further understand that the process can be stressful, but ultimately will provide peace of mind. A good estate plan not only can reduce taxes and ensure that property and businesses pass in the way our clients intend, but also reassures our clients’ loved ones that their welfare was considered in advance.

We prepare the needed legal documents for estate plans, which might include:

• Wills.
• Revocable living trusts.
• Irrevocable life insurance trusts.
• Generation skipping and dynasty trusts.
• Education trusts for children and grandchildren.
• Asset protection trusts.
• Special needs trusts.
• Grantor retained annuity trusts.
• Qualified personal residence trusts.
• Trusts for minor or disabled children, or other beneficiaries.
• Personal residence trusts.
• Family LLCs, LPs, and FLPs.
• Financial durable powers of attorney.
• Health care powers of attorney and living wills.
• Mental health directives.
• Charitable trusts, including charitable remainder and lead trusts.

In addition to drafting legal documents, we also provide services in the following, specialized areas:

• Fiduciary Compliance.
• Decedents’ Estates.
• Trust Administration.
• Preparation of Gift and Estate Tax Returns.
• Conservatorships.
• Guardianships.
• Elder Law.
• Charitable Planning.
• Special Needs Planning.
• Digital Asset Planning.

We guide our clients through the planning process, discussing the tax, family, and business implications of the choices available. Our attorneys pride themselves on being clear in their explanations and responsive and careful listeners, as well as being technically skilled in drafting and planning. Our ability to help transfer wealth, navigate legacy issues, and craft lasting documents with flexibility and vision, enables us to provide superior service to our clients.

Members of the Estate Planning group lead professional estate planning organizations and are recognized in The Best Lawyers in America and other peer-reviewed publications and legal directories. We speak and publish on estate planning and tax topics, and are deeply involved in our communities, making us excellent resources for our clients during the planning process.