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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.
Family Law Legal Guide 2024
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Hirschel Abbott concentrates his practice in estate planning, closely held businesses and entity selection, fiduciary litigation, charitable planning, and tax-exempt organizations. He currently serves as a co-chair of the firm’s Tax, Trusts and Estates Practice Group. As a Board-Certified Tax Law Specialist and a Certified Public Accountant, Hirschel counsels businesses and other high net worth individuals and families on matters related to property, tax, and estate planning. He also ad...
Sue Abbott, a partner in Goodwin’s Trusts & Estate Planning practice, is the chair of the firm’s Exempt Organization group, former chair of the firm's Higher Education practice, and a member of the firm's Impact and Responsible Investing practice. She focuses her practice on tax-exempt organizations, probate and trust law, and estate planning, with a particular emphasis on charitable planning. She advises tax-exempt organizations on issues related to their formation, operation...
Paul Abraham grew up in an entrepreneurial family. As soon as he was old enough to participate in the family businesses, he helped in dealing with lawyers across multiple practice areas. As he did so, he was shocked as lawyer after lawyer completely failed to provide even decent client service. Paul knew there had to be another way. Seeing how much his own family would have benefited from proper counsel and quality service, he decided to go to law school with the intention of creating a new l...
Molly Dear Abshire has been licensed to practice law in the State of Texas since 1993 and is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. She received a J.D. from South Texas College of Law and her B.A. in English from Texas A&M University in 1989. Ms. Abshire has authored professional papers and Houston Chronicle articles, which typically focus on topics such as estate planning, Medicaid planning, elder law and special needs trusts. She is a former President o...
Bill Acker is a shareholder, director and corporate vice president. He maintains an “AV” peer review rating with Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest peer review rating for attorneys. He was also selected for inclusion in the 2010-2019 issues of Michigan Super Lawyers magazine featuring the top 5% of attorneys in Michigan in the practice area of Estate Planning & Probate. He has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 in...
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 is a member of the firm’s Trusts and Estates and Tax Practice Groups. Part of Scott’s practice focuses on estate planning strategies designed to minimize estate and other taxes, as well as ensure that assets left under a decedent’s will or trust for family members can be effectively and efficiently managed. In addition, Scott has significant experience in advising clients with respect to the administration of trusts and estates, and handling trust and estate litigation...
Chuck Adler joined the firm in 1993 and became a Partner in 1995. He has a special interest in planning for individuals, families, and closely held businesses. Chuck counsels individuals and families on complex estate, charitable, financial, and retirement planning matters; on estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes; and on the organization and operation of private foundations. He also works with owners of closely held and family businesses on succession planning. Before joining the firm,...
Shaun B. Adrian is a senior partner at MacDonald Illig and a member of the firm's Estates and Trusts Group. He works with individuals and families to establish estate plans tailored to the client's needs, personal goals and tax objectives during life and after death. Shaun concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and elder law. Shaun's practice includes the preparation of wills, trusts, trusts for children with special needs, durable powers o...
Katie has a broad practice that allows her to serve many different individuals and families. She creates estate plans of all types – from those with estate tax issues and succession planning for business owners to young families planning to protect their young children. Katie helps families determine what steps to take after the loss or incapacity of a loved one and works through any probate, guardianship and conservatorship, or trust administration that may be required. She has signifi...
Jed Albert is a trusts and estates attorney representing high net worth individuals and their families. Jed provides sophisticated guidance in tax and estate planning, as well as estate and trust administration. With a full understanding of his clients’ goals, Jed drafts wills and trusts that implement tax efficient strategies allowing for a smooth asset transfer process to beneficiaries. Clients appreciate Jed’s strong listening skills, creative thinking, and detail-oriented appr...
David H. Alexander practices law in New York and Florida, and serves as a foreign legal consultant in Ontario, Canada. His areas of practice include wills, estates and trusts, estate planning and administration, business counseling, corporate law and taxation. He represents Canadian and other foreign corporations in the establishment of United States subsidiaries and in their conduct of business in the United States. He also represents Canadian and other foreign persons who purchase assets in...
Natanya is a highly respected wealth planning attorney who appreciates the sensitive and technical nature of her practice. A specialist in estate planning and charitable matters, she places a high priority on understanding her clients’ concerns and goals at a holistic level, so her legal work meets each client’s unique needs. Natanya approaches every estate planning engagement with empathy, honesty and pragmatism. She communicates in a way that her clients understand, and ensures ...
David Allen helps high-net-worth individuals and families with all their legal needs. With an approach that seamlessly integrates estate planning, tax minimization and concierge lawyering, David's advice allows his clients to spend less time managing advisors and more time focusing on their passions, their businesses and their families. From restructuring valuable art collections to coordinating legal services for multibillion-dollar family businesses and family offices, David is often the fi...
Attorney Johanna J. Allex is a partner in Stafford Rosenbaum LLP 's Madison office where she helps families and individuals plan for and manage life’s expected and unexpected transitions. Johanna’s law practice covers all aspects of estate planning and estate administration, marital property law, business succession planning, and tax-exempt organization planning and operations. Johanna is a Certified Public Accountant and serves on the Firm’s Board of Directors. Johanna&rsqu...
Oliver F. Ames, Jr. is a partner whose practice is concentrated in the areas of trusts & estates and exempt organizations. Olly's practice focuses on estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable giving and private foundation matters. In addition to having extensive experience with probate law and gift and estate tax issues, Olly frequently handles real estate and corporate matters as they relate to clients' estate planning needs. Prior to joining Casner & Edwards, LLP,...
Deborah Anderson is a partner in the Private Clients group. She represents individuals, trusts, partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations with respect to estate, income and gift tax planning matters and trust and estate administration. What do you focus on? I focus my practice on two main areas, utilizing over twenty years of experience in these specialties, to provide an integrated approach to estate and trust practices. Estate Planning I provide estate, gift and integrated ...
Eric has focused his practice primarily on tax, estate, and business planning for both individuals and businesses. In addition to forming numerous corporations and limited liability companies, Eric has been involved in numerous asset and stock buy/sell transactions. Eric’s practice also includes real estate and employment law. Eric was an author and presenter of a continuing legal education program for the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, and has authored and presented numerous programs on ...
Todd co-leads the firm's Private Client & Tax Group in the United States. His practice is focused on tax, trusts and estates, and business succession matters for affluent individuals and their families. He regularly advises domestic and international families and family offices with respect to creating trust and related business structures to preserve, protect and grow family wealth for multiple generations in a tax efficient manner.
A seasoned, level-headed attorney committed to practical solutions of family matters Hugh Antrim often works with families on emotionally challenging issues as contested conservatorships and guardianships and the administration of trusts and estates. In the midst of those frequently contentious circumstances, Hugh strives to seek a level-headed way forward for his clients. He finds great satisfaction in achieving a workable resolution – fixing a trust that’s not operating correctl...
Alex is a partner at Young Moore and focuses his practice on business law, commercial real estate, and wealth preservation. Alex represents clients in a variety of transactional matters including entity selection and formation, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, shareholder agreements, employment agreements, corporate governance, finance, succession planning and other commercial contracts. Alex also represents business owners in connection with their commercial needs, including real e...
Mr. August is a shareholder in the firm. Mr. August has been with the firm since 1994. He is a certified specialist in the fields of both Taxation Law, and Estate Planning and Probate by The Supreme Court of South Carolina. He is listed in the book The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bursiness Organizations, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Litigation and Controversy - Tax, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates Law. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree, magna cum laude ...
Mr. Backer concentrates his practice in estate planning, estate and trust administration and fiduciary litigation. He brings over forty years of specialized experience to his representation of individuals, owners of closely held businesses, executors, administrators, trustees and beneficiaries. He aggressively manages will disputes, will construction proceedings, accounting and other fiduciary litigation for individuals and New Jersey-based bank trust departments. He advises and implements we...
Charles has counseled numerous families regarding wills, revocable living trusts and the funding of those trusts, asset preservation and nursing home expense planning, guardianships, powers of attorney, living wills, and the probate administration process – whether they are in crisis planning mode or looking down the road at what may impact them or their family members. Charles also assists caregivers and their families in making healthcare decisions for disabled individuals, and he reg...
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 ...
David A. Baker serves as head of the Firm's Estate, Trust and Guardianship Controversy Practice Group. He advises clients in the areas of estate, trust and guardianship litigation; probate, estate, trust and guardianship administration; and charitable foundation and exempt organization administration and litigation. He also practices estate planning. Please visit our website for more on David's biography: https://www.mwe.com/en/team/b/baker-david-a
Frank Baldino is an estate planning attorney who co-chairs Lerch, Early & Brewer’s Estate Planning & Probate group in Bethesda, Maryland. His focus is on protecting the assets of high net worth individuals to minimize federal and state tax liability. Individuals seek Frank’s counsel to develop estate planning and tax strategies that will allow them to protect their assets for their families and future generations. He often works closely with clients’ accountants and ...
Nancy Ball practices in the areas of trusts and estates, including estate planning and estate administration, taxation, real estate and corporate law. Nancy is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Birmingham, Inc. and the Alabama Planned Giving Council, and serves as the secretary of the Probate Section of the Birmingham Bar Association. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Nancy is the author of Navigating Estate Planning Before, During and ...
John Barnosky is a trusts and estates lawyer advising families, individuals, banks, foundations, and other institutions. Jack handles the full range of estate planning, probate and administration, as well as taxation matters. John also represents clients in litigated trusts and estates matters, including will contests, disputes over the validity of trusts, contested accounting proceedings, and tax disputes before the Surrogate’s Courts and other courts throughout New York. A longtime le...
Katherine N. Barr is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office. She is a member of the Trusts, Estates & Wealth Preservation practice group and leads the Dentons Sirote Special Needs Planning team. As a lawyer in the Trusts, Estates & Wealth Preservation practice group, Katherine advises clients in planning their estates to accomplish their goals for asset distribution to beneficiaries while minimizing their estate and income tax liabilities. Katherine handles...
Jamie Barwin is a Shareholder in the Trusts & Estates Section at von Briesen & Roper, s.c. She focuses her practice on estate planning, probate and estate administration, business and corporate planning, special needs planning and tax. Jamie is also a licensed CPA in both Wisconsin and Michigan with six years of experience at Big 4 Accounting. Jamie delivers comprehensive estate planning services to families and businesses. Jamie helps her clients customize and understand their person...
Leigh-Alexandra Basha focuses her practice on domestic and international estate and tax planning. She counsels an affluent international client base on a wide range of sophisticated matters, including estate and trust administration, family wealth preservation, tax compliance, as well as business succession, expatriation and pre-immigration planning. Leigh is head of the Firm’s Washington, DC, Private Client Practice Group. Please view more on Leigh-Alexandra's biography here: https://w...
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...
Carole advises moderate and high net worth clients in all aspects of estate and wealth transfer planning. She works closely with individuals and families to structure sophisticated, tax-efficient plans designed to minimize estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes and to effectuate non-tax objectives. Carole’s clients include professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers and others. Carole also represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of pr...
Elizabeth is a partner in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. She focuses her efforts on estate planning, planned giving and tax-exempt organizations. Elizabeth represents clients in matters related to family wealth transfers for large estates, sophisticated estate and gift tax saving techniques, charitable planned giving, and complex probate and trust administrations. She also regularly represents tax-exempt organizations in formation, organizational and operational issue...
Tom Baxter is the head of the Estate Planning, Trusts and Estates Practice Group, serves on the firm’s Management Committee and is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Tom focuses his practice on tax planning for individuals and businesses, estate planning, the administration of trusts and estates, and probate matters. He also represents clients in state and local tax matters, tax controversies, and issues of general business and corporate taxation, including ma...
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