PRACTICE AREAS
Trusts and Estates
Estate Planning
Many people believe that estate planning is only for people who are particularly wealthy, have elaborate schemes in mind for passing their money to their heirs, or for people who are acutely ill and contemplating their death. This could not be farther from the truth.
Estate planning is for every husband, wife, mother, father, grandparent, business owner, professional, or anyone else who has someone they care about, are concerned about providing responsibly for their own well being and for the well being of those they love, and for anyone who seeks to make a difference in the lives of others after they're gone. Estate planning is not 'death planning'; it's 'life planning', and an essential and rewarding process for individuals and families who engage in it.
When done properly, estate planning requires that a highly trained individual lead you through one or more in-depth meetings to uncover your hopes, fears, and expectations for yourself and for those who are most important to you. This process almost always requires the preparation of several sophisticated legal documents, but those documents themselves are not 'estate planning.' Planning is a process, represented by a complete strategy that is properly documented and maintained by a professional who has taken the time to get to know you, and who is committed to continuing to serve you.
Probate and Trust Administration
Probate is a court-supervised process for distributing the individually owned assets of a deceased person. Assets are distributed to beneficiaries in accordance to the instructions written in the person's will. Upon the death of a trust maker our law firm offers legal services to your executor. The executor is responsible for seeing that the assets of the estate are distributed properly and in a timely manner. An overview of the valuable guidance we provide includes:
Review of the executed will Gathering of all assets of the Estate
Explanation of executor's responsibilities Estate tax analysis
Collection of death benefits Creation of sub-trusts
If revocable living trust planning is the process of designing a playbook, trust administration occurs when the playbook is put into action. The process begins with an event that triggers a provision in your revocable living trust based estate plan, such as incapacity or death. The plan provides for the individuals you designated in your plan documents to step into action and execute according to your instructions.
Trust administration can be complex and the people you have designated must have competent and experienced counsel to guide them through the process. They must make important decisions ' sometimes quickly ' and they need help to make them wisely. They may need to prepare inventories of your property, prepare tax returns, or sign other important documents on your behalf. Ultimately they must divide and distribute your property to those individuals or charities you identified in your will or trust agreement.
The trust administration process carries a lot of responsibilities. We can help guide your loved ones through the process as sensitively and completely as possible, and will try to make it as straightforward and efficient as possible.
Construction Law
Claims Resolution and Support
Contract
Drafting and Negotiation
Liens and Bond Claims
Corporate Law
Debt and Equity Allocation
Entrepreneurial / Venture Law
Corporate Formation and Dissolution
Real Estate
Acquisition and Sale
Commercial Real Estate Development
Foreclosures
Leases: Office, Industrial, Retail, Agricultural
Title Examination and Title Insurance Litigation
Residential and Commercial Closings
Estate Planning
Many people believe that estate planning is only for people who are particularly wealthy, have elaborate schemes in mind for passing their money to their heirs, or for people who are acutely ill and contemplating their death. This could not be farther from the truth.
Estate planning is for every husband, wife, mother, father, grandparent, business owner, professional, or anyone else who has someone they care about, are concerned about providing responsibly for their own well being and for the well being of those they love, and for anyone who seeks to make a difference in the lives of others after they're gone. Estate planning is not 'death planning'; it's 'life planning', and an essential and rewarding process for individuals and families who engage in it.
When done properly, estate planning requires that a highly trained individual lead you through one or more in-depth meetings to uncover your hopes, fears, and expectations for yourself and for those who are most important to you. This process almost always requires the preparation of several sophisticated legal documents, but those documents themselves are not 'estate planning.' Planning is a process, represented by a complete strategy that is properly documented and maintained by a professional who has taken the time to get to know you, and who is committed to continuing to serve you.
Probate and Trust Administration
Probate is a court-supervised process for distributing the individually owned assets of a deceased person. Assets are distributed to beneficiaries in accordance to the instructions written in the person's will. Upon the death of a trust maker our law firm offers legal services to your executor. The executor is responsible for seeing that the assets of the estate are distributed properly and in a timely manner. An overview of the valuable guidance we provide includes:
Review of the executed will Gathering of all assets of the Estate
Explanation of executor's responsibilities Estate tax analysis
Collection of death benefits Creation of sub-trusts
If revocable living trust planning is the process of designing a playbook, trust administration occurs when the playbook is put into action. The process begins with an event that triggers a provision in your revocable living trust based estate plan, such as incapacity or death. The plan provides for the individuals you designated in your plan documents to step into action and execute according to your instructions.
Trust administration can be complex and the people you have designated must have competent and experienced counsel to guide them through the process. They must make important decisions ' sometimes quickly ' and they need help to make them wisely. They may need to prepare inventories of your property, prepare tax returns, or sign other important documents on your behalf. Ultimately they must divide and distribute your property to those individuals or charities you identified in your will or trust agreement.
The trust administration process carries a lot of responsibilities. We can help guide your loved ones through the process as sensitively and completely as possible, and will try to make it as straightforward and efficient as possible.
Construction Law
Claims Resolution and Support
Contract
Drafting and Negotiation
Liens and Bond Claims
Corporate Law
Debt and Equity Allocation
Entrepreneurial / Venture Law
Corporate Formation and Dissolution
Real Estate
Acquisition and Sale
Commercial Real Estate Development
Foreclosures
Leases: Office, Industrial, Retail, Agricultural
Title Examination and Title Insurance Litigation
Residential and Commercial Closings
