Find Lawyers in Florida, United States for Trusts and Estates
Practice Area Overview
How Can a Trusts and Estates Attorney Help You?
Trust and estate attorneys help clients plan for the efficient and effective transfer of assets to spouses, to younger generation family members, to other persons clients wish to benefit, and to charities. The practice involves the preparation of trust agreements, wills, powers of attorney, medical directives, and closely held business structures, including partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations.
What are the Trusts and Estates Practices Focal Points?
Wealth Planning
When attorneys begin the planning process, they consider your objectives, your family relationships, charitable inclinations, and the relationship of federal and state estate tax, gift tax, and generation skipping transfer tax laws to these objectives. Attorneys then work with you and, in some cases, with other advisers to design the appropriate plan to meet your goals and objectives, prepare the necessary documents to carry out the desired plan, and assist with the implementation of your plan. In connection with family wealth planning, attorneys plan and draft trust agreements and wills, create various business entities, and carry out business reorganizations.
Estate Administration
Trust and estate attorneys also handle the administration of estates. Attorneys confer with members of a decedent’s family on the various issues, including:
• Assistance to the executor with the preparation of the required probate documents and assist in valuation of estate assets
• Making insurance claims
• Preparation of final income tax returns and the estate’s income and federal and state estate tax returns
• Monitoring of the investment of the estate’s assets
• Arranging for the distribution of the estate’s net assets
• Throughout the administration of an estate, consideration is given to income tax savings through the timing of distributions and the timing and claiming of appropriate deductions.
Trust Administration
In the trust administration area, attorneys advise and consult with corporate and individual trustees concerning the discharge of the trust’s terms and consult with beneficiaries concerning trust administration matters including the preparation of trust accounts.
Trust and Estate attorneys also assist clients in all phases of probate and trust litigation. This may involve construing or reforming the terms of a will or trust, prosecuting or defending a will contest action or surcharge actions against trustees.
What is a Trusts and Estates attorneys goal for its clients?
The goal of an trust and estate attorney is to assist clients to achieve their personal goals while obtaining the significant tax savings which may be available to them through proper planning. Attorneys in the practice spend a significant amount of time dealing with the federal estate, gift, and generation skipping tax issues involved in transfer planning.
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Cities
Jolyon Acosta’s practice focuses on private wealth services for high net worth individuals, families, and multi-generational business owners. Mr. Acosta counsels clients in a variety of complex estate and business planning matters related to their wealth management needs. He has extensive experience advising clients on matters involving estate, gift, and income taxes, and routinely assists family businesses in succession and other planning matters. Mr. Acosta represents clients across a...
Frank Adams is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and is listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America, in the areas of trusts and estates, and trust and estates litigation. He is an AV-rated attorney, and is Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates. Frank practices primarily in sophisticated estate planning and administration, including wills; revocable and irrevocable trusts; asset protection planning; special needs trusts, probate; estate, gift ...
Scott J. Bakal develops tax-planning strategies for closely held family businesses, partnerships, and publicly held corporations with significant domestic and international operations. Scott works closely with high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurial companies to develop elegant, tax-sensitive approaches to their complex business transactions, financial situations, estate planning matters, and real estate investments, as well as to pursue tax efficiency throughout their ...
Jeffrey A. Baskies is a graduate of Trinity College (B.A., with highest honors, 1988) and Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1991). He is admitted to practice in Florida and Massachusetts. A seasoned trusts and estates lawyer, Jeff routinely advises wealthy families, entrepreneurs, athletes, celebrities and other clients regarding wealth transfer planning and asset protection planning. As part of his diverse practice, Jeff counsels clients on charitable planning (including the creation of p...
Juan D. Bendeck is certified by the Florida Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Wills, Trusts and Estates. Board certification recognizes attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law and professionalism and ethics in practice. Juan focuses his practice in estate planning, estate administration and asset protection planning. He formulates and drafts tax-efficient estate plans for his clients, including more advanced and novel estate planning techniques ...
Norman J. Benford counsels high-net-worth individuals and families in connection with estate planning and other complex tax issues, as well as business succession and other non-tax family matters. Norm also counsels individuals and institutions serving as fiduciaries of estates, trusts and guardianships in connection with administrative matters and disputes with the Internal Revenue Service.
A firm member since 1977, Bruce has extensive experience in planning for the sale and purchases of businesses. He also developed a special expertise in complex estate planning, purchases and sales of businesses and tax controversy matters. His clientele includes successful businesspersons, professionals, closely–held businesses, charitable organizations and individuals with special tax planning or estate planning needs. Bruce is a former chairman of The Florida Bar Tax Section and a for...
Christopher W. Boyett co-chairs Holland & Knight's National Private Wealth practice. Mr. Boyett advises domestic and international wealthy families throughout Florida on sophisticated estate planning strategies and options and counsels family businesses on succession planning and tax planning. Additionally, he advises both institutional and individual clients on estate and trust administration issues. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, Graduate Program in...
Joel has over 40 years of experience in tax, business, asset protection, and estate and gift tax planning for high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs. He consults on business entities, including limited liability companies (LLCs), S corporations and limited liability partnerships (LLPs). He structures and prepares shareholder agreements, operating agreements and other business agreements. He also routinely handles sophisticated estate planning including the preparation of wills, revocabl...
Daniel K. Capes is a shareholder of Dunwody White & Landon, P.A.. Mr. Capes focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning and estate and trust administration, with an emphasis on estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax planning. He received his LL.M. in Taxation and J.D., with honors, from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science degree from Toccoa Falls College. Mr. Capes has been recognized for his trusts and estates expertise in “The Best Lawyers...
Curtis B. Cassner is Board Certified by the Florida Bar as a Specialist in Wills, Trusts and Estates as well as a Specialist in Tax. He focuses his practice on helping his clients meet their estate planning goals. As a partner in the firm’s Trusts & Estates Group, Curtis represents clients in trusts and estate planning matters by crafting tailored plans to address each beneficiary’s needs and maximize available tax benefits. He leverages his background as a Certified Public Ac...
Nicholas E. Christin joined Wicker Smith in 1997 and is a Managing Partner in the Miami office. He maintains a general commercial practice with an emphasis on estate planning, estate administration, probate litigation and the representation of professionals and other individuals in their professional practices and business entities. Since 1979, Mr. Christin has been an adjunct professor in the University of Miami LL.M Program in Estate Planning. He has taught Income Taxation of Trusts and Est...
Neil R. Chrystal is a founding shareholder of Dunwody White & Landon, P.A. Mr. Chrystal attended Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland where he received his J.D., and Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea where he received his undergraduate degree in business administration. He attends numerous continuing legal education seminars annually. Mr. Chrystal is admitted to the Florida, Ohio and Federal Bar, U.S. Tax Court. Mr. Chrystal is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate C...
A Fellow in the American College of the Trust and Estate Counsel, Joe Cox is a nationally recognized lawyer with four decades of experience advising individuals and families in estate planning, insurance, trusts, and tax. He is Board Certified in Estate Planning & Administration by The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. Joe was named by Worth Magazine as “One of the Top 100 Attorneys in the Nation.” He was also selected by Florida Trend Magazine as &ldquo...
Mary Beth Crawford is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Private Clients Group and is based in the Bonita Springs office. She focuses her practice on estate planning, tax planning and probate and trust administration. Mary Beth brings a caring and comprehensive approach to estate planning and provides her clients and their families with both the technical and personal guidance they need in developing the proper plan.
Randell C. Doane is recognized as a specialist in tax law and is board certified in the law of wills, trusts and estates by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Mr.Doane is an honored member of Martindale-Hubbell’s Registry of Preeminent Attorneys in tax law and estate planning. His law firm, Doane and Doane, PA, holds the high estrating ("AV") from Martindale Hubbell which is the premier attorney rating service. Mr.Doane is frequently called as an expert consultant for estate...
Rebecca G. Doane founded the law firm of Doane & Doane, P.A., in 2003 after being a senior equity shareholder in a prestigious local law firm for many years. UnderMrs. Doane’s guidance and experience, Doane and Doane, P.A., has achieved the high estrating (“AV”) from the premier attorney rating service, Martindale Hubbell. Mrs. Doane is recognized as a specialist practicing in the areas of estate planning, trusts, wills, estate and gift taxation, probate, estate and trus...
Jeffrey Gad focuses his practice on representing individuals, with an emphasis on estate planning, probate and trust administration, probate litigation and business planning. His practice integrates the personal and estate tax planning concerns of individuals with tax and business planning for their closely held businesses. As part of his corporate practice, Jeffrey assists businesses with choice-of-entity planning, the formation of business entities, business contracts, such as the preparati...
John D. Gast has decades of experience working with families as they plan their estates. John has lived in Southwest Florida for over 30 years and concentrates his practice on estate planning, charitable gift planning, life insurance, domicile planning, probate litigation, trust and estate settlement and taxation. John knows each family is different and works with them to craft a custom plan that fits their individual needs.
Over 30 years of estate and gift tax planning, and asset protection planning, mostly for high net worth individuals and estates. Consultation, planning and preparation of revocable and irrevocable trusts, grantor trusts, family limited partnerships, S corporations, LLCs, LLPs; shareholder and other business continuation agreements, life insurance trusts; planned charitable giving; post-death tax planning for estates, trusts and the decedent’s family; complex probates.
Jonathan Gopman is a partner in Akerman’s Naples office and also spends substantial time in the Fort Lauderdale office. Jonathan’s practice focuses on sophisticated wealth accumulation and preservation planning strategies for entrepreneurs. He assists entrepreneurs with their personal and business planning needs at all phases of the wealth accumulation and preservation cycle. In his practice Jonathan takes a four part approach to wealth preservation planning by assisting individua...
John J. Grundhauser is a shareholder of Dunwody White & Landon, P.A. Mr. Grundhauser graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, and also served on the University of Miami Law Review as an Associate Editor for two years. John received his undergraduate degree from Lindenwood University with a double major in mathematics and communication arts. John is a member of the American Bar Association: Real Property, Probate and Tru...
Steven Hadjilogiou focuses his practice on international inbound and outbound international tax planning for multinational companies and high net worth individuals. Steven has represented various Fortune 500 companies and major privately held businesses in their tax planning and supply chain projects, and also has substantial experience advising on transfer pricing, tax-related intellectual property matters, Subpart F and foreign investment in US real property. Steven also advises clients on ...
David M. Halpen is Principal-in-Charge of the Palm Beach office of Cummings & Lockwood. David has over twenty years of broad-based legal experience in trusts and estates planning, estate settlement, trust administration, business succession planning, and U.S. and international tax planning for a variety of high net worth clients. Prior to joining Cummings & Lockwood, he was a shareholder with Dunwody, White & Landon in their Naples and Palm Beach offices.
Shane A. Hart is a partner in Holland & Knight's Tampa office and a member of the Private Wealth Services Group. He represents clients in estate planning and estate administration matters. His practice focuses on developing comprehensive estate plans for clients in a way that minimizes transfer taxes while achieving other desired goals. He also counsels personal representatives in the administration of estates, including the preparation of necessary court filings and the estate tax return...
William N. Horowitz is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Private Clients Group and is based in the Bonita Springs office. Bill focuses his practice in the area of trusts and estates and related tax matters. He represents and advises individuals, beneficiaries, fiduciaries and charitable organizations. Bill began his legal career in 1976 as an Associate at the law firm of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt in Fort Myers, Florida, where he became a partner in 1980 and continued his ...
Howard M. Hujsa is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood's Private Clients Group and is based in the Bonita Springs office. Howard focuses his practice on complex estate planning (including gift, estate, charitable and generation-skipping transfer tax planning), trust and estate administration and the representation of charitable organizations. He speaks frequently on estate and tax planning topics before both lawyer and non-lawyer audiences.
Robert B. Judd is a shareholder whose practice encompasses estate and healthcare planning, the administration of complex estates and trusts, and probate, trust, and fiduciary related litigation. Originally from upstate New York, Mr. Judd has been a resident of Fort Lauderdale since 1985. He has earned an AV Preeminent rating as independently determined by Martindale-Hubbell, has been designated in “Best Lawyers in America” for several years in the areas of trusts and estates and r...
Practice description Stewart Kasner is a Private Wealth Services attorney in Holland & Knight's Miami office, where he focuses primarily in the areas of international taxation, trusts and estates. Mr. Kasner routinely advises foreign and domestic clients on U.S. federal income, gift and estate tax matters associated with their cross-border investments, including U.S. real estate investments and business activities, as well as pre-immigration tax planning. His practice also includes formin...
Rohan Kelley practices with The Kelley Law Firm, P.L. in Ft. Lauderdale, where he limits his practice to wills, trusts and estates and major case fiduciary litigation. Mr. Kelley was admitted to practice in Florida in 1965. He is Florida Bar board certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates, having been granted automatic certification as an original member of the Wills, Trusts and Estates Certification Committee of the Florida Bar. He later served as chairman of that Committee. He is also a past c...
Peter Kelly has more than 30 years’ experience in the representation of land owners and developers in the leasing, financing, sale and development of real estate. Significant projects include the sale and development of shopping centers, subdivisions, condominiums, and office and industrial parks. Mr. Kelly also represents moderate to high net worth individuals and families in all aspects of estate and tax planning, probate and trust administration.
As Partner-in-Charge of Hahn Loeser’s Naples, Florida office, Mark R. Klym focuses his practice in estate planning. Mark assists clients in developing succession plans, drafting limited liability companies and start-ups, administration of trusts and guardianships as well as the administration of estates. Mark offers clients a wealth of experience in the preparation and implementation of all segments of estate plans, including durable powers of attorney, health care directives, revocable...
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