Our attorneys will help you design a plan for continued management of your personal, family and financial concerns, if you become unable or unavailable to do so yourself. Most people have three goals in mind as they develop their estate plans: (1) to appoint trusted people to manage their affairs; (2) to ensure that their property passes to people or institutions that are important to them; and (3) to keep costs and taxes to a minimum.

Our planning services include:

• Drafting wills and trusts
• Drafting durable powers of attorney
• Drafting health care proxies
• Acting as fiduciaries (both executor/rix and trustee)
• Selection of guardians
• Planning for your long term care needs
• Ensuring your business remains successful with your chosen successor
• Helping to avoid or limit the amount of taxes your estate must pay

If you already have estate planning documents, we will review them and may recommend adjustments, complete overhaul, or no changes at all, depending on your current circumstances and applicable changes in the law. For example, if your will appoints a guardian for your minor children, we will discuss whether the appointed person is still available and appropriate to serve now.

We may suggest trust amendments to take advantage of changes in tax laws.

ESTATE ADMINISTRATION AND PROBATE

We handle all matters related to estate or probate administration.  Our firm will prepare a strategic roadmap in order to address all of the details necessary to move through the probate process as efficiently as possible.

Our lawyers will address details necessary to settle the estate of your loved one. We will:

• Prepare and file any documents necessary to get you successfully appointed as executor
• Prepare and submit an accounting of the assets of the estate
• Notify all creditors of the deceased and work to see that all final debts of the estate are paid
• Prepare and file the estate and gift tax return, if necessary, and work closely with an accountant to ensure that all tax returns for the estate are filed, including the deceased's final income tax return and inheritance tax returns
• Oversee the orderly distribution of the property in the estate in accordance with the terms of the will, trust or as provided for by law