Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts and Administration of Estates

Our firm is well qualified to assist our clients with their estate planning needs. We are able to assist by preparing simple and complex wills, trusts, and legal entities to transfer property to loved ones and minimize estate taxes.

Estate and Gift Taxes. Our lawyers can help you minimize the transfer tax cost of passing your wealth on to the next generation. Our lawyers are familiar with techniques to aid our clients in pursuing their estate planning goals without incurring unnecessary estate, gift and generation skipping taxes. We also prepare estate and gift tax returns and assist clients with IRS audits of the same.

Family Limited Partnerships. Our lawyers have experience using limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and other business entities to assist clients in transferring assets and control to loved ones. We also use these entities to help achieve asset protection goals, reduce estate and income taxes, and reduce the fractionalizing of surface and mineral assets.

Lifetime Giving. Our lawyers advise clients on how to minimize estate and gift taxes by making lifetime gifts. We advise clients on the most beneficial gifts to give during the different stages of life. We assist in determining whether cash, real property, stocks, bonds, membership interests, or other assets are the most appropriate gift to give. Our lawyers also help determine if these gifts should be made outright, to a trust, or to a legal entity created for the benefit of the client’s beneficiary.

Probate, Trust & Estate Administration.Our lawyers represent executors, administrators, guardians, beneficiaries and trustees in all phases of probate and estate and administration. We are able to assist from the initial probate of a will through the final settlement of the estate, and in all matters relating to the administration of trusts. Our firm also handles the establishment and administration of trusts for the benefit of minors and incapacitated persons.

Asset Protection. We advise our clients on various ways to protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits and other threats to the assets from a lifetime of work and saving.

Fiduciary Litigation. Our trial lawyers are experienced in prosecuting and defending lawsuits both by and against trustees, executors, and beneficiaries, including will contests, suits alleging undue influence, and suits against executors and trustees regarding the performance of their duties.

Marital Property Agreements. Our lawyers can prepare agreements to convert separate property to community property and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.