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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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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...
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.
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...
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...
David A. Brauner's practice is based on relationships with clients that sometimes span several generations and is concentrated in the areas of estate planning and the administration of estates and trusts, real estate transactions and the representation of owners and cooperatives, and a broad variety of corporate matters. Mr. Brauner provides counseling and advice principally to privately owned, entrepreneurial business entities and their owners and executives. Long active in philanthropic and...
Neil V. Carbone is a trusts and estates lawyer handling all aspects of that practice: planning, administration, and litigation. Neil provides sophisticated advice to individuals and families, entrepreneurs, closely-held businesses, trust companies, banks, fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and foundations and other institutions. He regularly appears before the Surrogate’s Courts and other courts throughout New York, as well as the United States Tax Court. Neil is a trusted professional who pri...
Jennifer B. Cona is the founder and managing partner of Cona Elder Law , Long Island’s leading Elder Law and Estate Planning firm. She is among Long Island’s most accomplished women, exemplifying leadership in business and community outreach. Ms. Cona’s work involves representing, counseling and assisting seniors and their families with the preservation of assets, Medicaid planning, estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, administration of estates, estate litigation, gu...
Ilene Sherwyn Cooper is a partner practicing litigation and estate planning in Surrogate’s Courts throughout Metropolitan New York. Before joining Farrell Fritz, she served for ten years as the Chief Law Assistant of the Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court. Her responsibilities there included preparing judicial opinions on complex and novel issues; acting as the Trial Assistant to the Surrogate, preparing pretrial memoranda, jury charges, evidentiary rulings and post-trial decisions;...
Ronni Davidowitz helps clients sort out the legal, business, tax and personal issues that can arise when planning their estates or managing their wealth. As the head of Katten's New York Private Wealth practice, she understands that listening and being responsive are two of the most important services she can bring to her client relationships. Changes in tax laws, the economic climate, and family and business situations may require adjustments to clients' estate and wealth plans. Ronni is a r...
Scott A. Eisenmesser represents clients in complex estate planning, trust and estate administration, business valuations, and complex corporate and real estate tax matters. Scott’s clients include some of the largest family-owned real estate companies in the metropolitan area, whom he assists as general counsel as well as in connection with their estate and tax planning needs. As part of his estate administration practice, Scott often represents parties in contested estate matters, such...
Anthony J. Enea, Esq. is the managing partner of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP with offices in White Plains and Somers, New York. For nearly 40 years, Mr. Enea has devoted his practice to educating and protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families from the costs of long term care. Mr. Enea and his firm concentrate their practice on Elder Law, Wills, Trusts and Estates, Asset Protecting Planning, Special Needs Planning, Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home and Home Care...
Stephen Ferszt guides businesses and high-net-worth individuals through the complexities of employee benefits, ERISA and executive compensation issues. He also advises on tax, estate and family and business succession planning. Steve chairs Olshan’s Employee Benefits Practice and is a member of the Employment and Tax & Personal Planning Practices. With a nuanced understanding of ERISA and employee benefits matters, Steve advises on the design, implementation and administration of qu...
Richard A. Frankel focuses his practice in the areas of healthcare, business, commercial and real estate transactions. He has counseled a wide variety of clients, including hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, lending institutions, affordable housing corporations, contractors and individuals with respect to the full range of corporate, regulatory, contract, construction and real estate matters. Rich has substantial experience in tax-exempt financing for healthcare facility projects, mortgage...
Michael W. Galligan is a partner in the Trusts & Estates Department at Phillips Nizer LLP, where he practices primarily in the areas of domestic and international estates and trusts, U.S. and cross-border estate and income tax planning, private international law, and immigration. Mr. Galligan concentrates his practice in complex U.S. and international estate planning and the administration of U.S. and non-U.S. trusts, estates and other wealth transfer and wealth preservation vehicles. In ...
Mark’s practice is focused on domestic and international private client matters for affluent individuals and their families. His clients include entrepreneurs, corporate executives, family offices, real estate developers, business owners and investment bankers, as well as artists, writers, collectors and philanthropists. He has more than twenty years experience in all aspects of estate and gift planning for individuals and families, many with complex multi-generational or multi-jurisdic...
Jean Hegler has concentrated her practice in the areas of estate, gift and trust taxation, estate planning, estate administration and elder law planning. Jean has unique experience representing high net worth individuals, trusts, estates, family businesses and foundations in sophisticated tax planning and administration. She lectures frequently and has authored various legal publications, including a book entitled Wills: Structure, Design & Settlement under New York State Law , and she ha...
Linda B. Hirschson focuses her practice on virtually all aspects of estate planning and administration and is a past member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel (ACTEC). Linda develops estate plans for high net worth individuals, enabling them to dispose of their assets during life and at death in a manner that meets their personal goals and as tax efficient as possible. In the course of doing so, she helps form and administer private foundations and c...
Denise L. Iocco's practice focuses primarily on estate and gift tax planning, charitable giving, and trust and estate administration. Ms. Iocco advises high net-worth individuals and families in all aspects of estate planning. She has extensive experience in developing tax-advantageous transfers, as well as advising fiduciaries in connection with the management of estates and trusts. Ms. Iocco is often called upon in situations where sophisticated and sensitive planning is necessitated by mul...
My practice is concentrated on trust and estate planning and administration and business succession planning for principles and shareholders of closely held businesses. My practice also includes addressing clients' philanthropic goals, including providing counsel to clients on all aspects of nonprofit corporate governance, and structuring charitable trusts and private foundations.
Elyse G. Kirschner advises clients on domestic and international tax and estates planning matters. Elyse’s areas of experience include charitable giving techniques, the formation and taxation of private trust companies, tax-exempt organizations and the taxation of foreign trusts. Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/kirschner-elyse-g/
Eric Kramer was an estate and tax planning attorney representing high-net-worth families and individuals, closely held business owners, and real estate developers for more than 35 years. Recently retired, Eric prepared wills and trusts, consulted on prenuptial agreements, and managed estate and trust administration for his clients. As a certified public accountant, Eric applied deep experience with federal and New York state taxing authorities to provide sophisticated tax advice to clients. H...
Ellyn S. Kravitz is a partner at Abrams, Fensterman, LLP. She concentrates her practice in elder law, special needs planning, estate planning, estate administration and guardianships. Ellyn is an authority on issues affecting adults and children with disabilities, and our senior population. Ellyn holds the designation of a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), awarded by the National Elder Law Foundation as accredited by the American Bar Association. Ellyn has been designated a Super Lawyer by...
Bernard A. Krooks is a founding partner of the law firm Littman Krooks LLP with offices in New York City, White Plains and Fishkill. Mr. Krooks is the President of the Special Needs Alliance ( www.specialneedsalliance.org ), a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to assisting families with special needs planning. Mr. Krooks is past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a Fellow of NAELA, founding member and past president of the NY Chapter of NAELA. He is...
Christiana Lazo is a partner in the Trusts and Estates Practice Group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Christiana concentrates her practice on representing ultra-high net worth individuals, their family offices and closely held businesses in developing and implementing sophisticated domestic and international tax and estate plans. Christiana regularly works with principals of private equity and venture capital funds on their estate planning and also has significant experience counseling global cl...
John F. Leone has practiced almost 30 years in the areas of wills, estate planning, estate and trust administration, qualified retirement plans and residential and commercial real estate. He received both his J.D. and B.S. degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo.In connection with his wills and estates practice, John has successfully defended proponents of wills subject to will contests, contested wills on behalf of beneficiaries, and has filed claims relating to breaches of ...
Jerry Levine concentrates his practice on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and income and estate taxation. He represents closely held businesses, real estate owners and developers, entertainment and media clients, private investors and entrepreneurs, and executives of publicly held companies. Jerry’s experience encompasses wills and trusts, estate and gift tax audits, valuation of closely held businesses, estate and trust accountings, domicile disputes, Tax Court procee...
Jordan Linn is a partner in Tannenbaum Helpern’s Trusts and Estates (T&E) practice. With more than 20 years of T&E experience, Jordan brings a wealth of knowledge and sophisticated legal counsel to his clients. He advises business owners, real estate families, and other high net-worth individuals regarding: the structuring and execution of complex gift, estate, and generation skipping tax planning techniques the preparation of last will and testaments, trusts agreements and adva...
Patricia C. Marcin concentrates in personal, family and business planning. Her practice includes the preparation of wills, trusts and other estate planning documents and all phases of estate administration, including the analysis and review of estate and fiduciary income tax issues and administrative and legal issues in each estate. She counsels her clients in a very personal way, addressing each client’s particular desires and circumstances. Tricia has authored articles on various esta...
Carlyn S. McCaffrey provides legal counsel on domestic and international tax and estate planning for high-net-worth individuals. She also advises individuals and institutions on charitable planning matters. Carlyn is co-head of the Private Client practice in the Firm’s New York office. Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/mccaffrey-carlyn-s/
Gary S. Moriwaki has more than forty years of experience in estate planning and administration. His clients include domestic and foreign business owners, professionals and executives from a spectrum of industries. Mr. Moriwaki is well-versed in advising clients who have complex, multi-national issues involving ownership of assets in multiple jurisdictions, domestic and foreign estate and inheritance taxes, choice of laws and succession concerns. As a member of various charitable organizations...
Herb Nass is one of the country’s most sought-after trusts and estates lawyers. During his more than 35-year career, he has earned a reputation among high net-worth and celebrity families for smart planning and counseling aimed to preserve their wealth and minimize tax obligations during transitional life events. Clients come to Herb for airtight wills drafted and executed to withstand future scrutiny or objection in court. His ability to anticipate potential disputes with solid no-cont...
Ty represents individuals, banks and trust companies in estate and trust matters. His work involves sophisticated tax planning in the estate and gift tax and fiduciary income tax areas, including litigating those issues on behalf of his clients. Before joining Sullivan, Ty was a partner with Dewey & LeBoeuf.
George E. Riedel, Jr. practices in the areas of trusts and estates, elder law, estate administration, estate planning, guardianships, and adoptions. Mr. Riedel is a director (from 1995 to present) and past secretary for the 100 Club of Buffalo. He is also a director (from 1999 to present) of the Western New York-Jamaica Partners of Americas. He was elected a fellow of the New York Bar Foundation in January 2001. He also serves on the advisory board of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the ...
Jonathan Rikoon practices in the areas of trust and estate planning, administration and litigation. He engages in sophisticated estate and tax planning for wealthy individuals and families, preparation of wills and trusts and the administration of trusts and estates. He helps to establish various tax-efficient multi-tier family, business and investment vehicles, such as partnerships, limited liability companies and closely held corporations with trust ownership, and he structures third-party ...
Jay E. Rivlin has extensive experience advising ultra-high net worth individuals and families on all aspects of their personal legal needs, including domestic and international estate, gift and tax planning, administration, cross-border issues, and controversy resolution; family office administration; business succession planning; family dispute resolution; charitable giving and private foundation administration; acquisition and ownership of private aircraft; as well as guardianship and plann...
Anita S. Rosenbloom concentrates in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning and estate and trust administration and litigation. She has particular expertise concerning estate, gift, generation-skipping and fiduciary income taxes and the use of life insurance and other trust vehicles in estate plans to reduce tax liability. Since joining Stroock in 1980, Ms. Rosenbloom has represented individuals, corporations, closely held businesses and other entities in transactions invol...
Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel; Academician of the International Academy of Trust and Estate Lawyers; Past Chair of the American Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section, Past Chair of the New York Chapter of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners; member, Editorial Advisory Boards of Tax Management Estates, Gifts, and Trusts , and Trusts and Estates ; author of numerous articles for publications including the New York Law Journal , Jo...
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