Estate Planning & Administration

Estate Planning

Estate planning is about planning for your future and the future of your heirs. A proper estate plan will:

• Minimize estate taxes while maximizing the assets that you pass on to your heirs
• Include a Last Will and Testament and trusts that take into consideration guardianship issues of minor children
• Include a living will, living trust, power of attorney and health care proxy. These estate planning documents can assist your family in the event that you are incapacitated and need someone to make decisions for you
• Provide direction as to the disposition of your remains
• Prevent disinheritance of children after a second marriage

Our firm also helps clients update existing estate plans to ensure their plans are in line with current laws and that their final wishes will be followed.

Estate Administration

We represent individuals, executors and trustees (individuals or financial institutions) in the administration process. We offer counseling to fiduciaries on the management of assets during administration, distribution requirements and tax planning. We work in conjunction with the client’s accountants, brokers, financial planners and advisors. We prepare all relevant state and federal estate-tax forms, draft estate and trust accountings on behalf of the fiduciaries and file the required petitions and proceedings in Surrogate’s and other courts to secure the close of the estate and the discharge of the fiduciary from future liability.