Estate Planning
Individuals and families alike have a long-held interest in the preservation of wealth and the transfer of that wealth from generation to generation. But wealth-management is more than safeguarding capital. It is a process of life management that demands the highest level of service, quality, and commitment. Our mission is to preserve wealth, minimize taxes and carry out our clients’ desired intention, and to do so with the most current estate planning techniques available.
Our clients are both businesses and individuals, with modest holdings as well as substantial, multi-generational interests.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in the preservation and transfer of wealth between generations. This includes planning for continuity of family and closely-owned businesses as well as lifetime, along with pre- and post-mortem estate and income tax planning.
Specifically, we can assist you with:
- Developing plans to minimize the cost and delay in transferring assets at death through the trusts and other arrangements.
- Explaining and implementing programs of generation-skipping tax-free giving for children and other descendants through trusts that qualify for annual exclusions or other tax benefits.
- Crafting long-term “dynasty” trusts that can provide benefits for multiple generation of descendants with efficient financial management and without exposure to federal or state gift, estate, inheritance or generation-skipping transfer taxes.
- Providing advice concerning the valuation of family businesses and other assets including techniques obtaining valuation discounts and freezing the value of assets such as installment sales, self-installment notes and private annuities.
- Planning for the succession in ownership and management of your business interests.
- Counseling on business structures and control issues including the creation of family limited partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and S corporations.
- Advising executors, trustees and beneficiaries on all aspects of estate and trust administration including tax planning, fiduciary duties and powers, beneficiaries’ rights and preparation of accounting and required court filings.
- Planning for disability involving powers of attorney and guardianship issues.
- Planning for disabled beneficiaries.
- Ensuring clear communication regarding your wishes on long-term care issues.
- Resolving beneficiary and guardianship disputes.
- Preservation of privacy in the settlement of your estate.