TRUSTS & ESTATES
Our trusts and estates team can help you minimize estate and gift taxes, prepare wills and trusts, make large gifts, and administer estates. We’re concerned with all aspects of helping you preserve wealth and pass it on to future generations and other beneficiaries you designate.

We’re equipped to handle the diverse needs of our clients. We can provide a range of solutions, from a simple will to a sophisticated insurance trust or charitable remainder trust designed to avoid or minimize estate taxes.

Be Prepared for Upcoming Estate Taxes
If you are an individual with assets (including pension plans and insurance) exceeding $1,000.000, you will need legal assistance with your plan. That’s because despite the act adopted in 2001 to phase out such taxes, the tax will return in full force in 2011 unless Congress takes further action. We make every effort to design estate plans that account for the phase-out of the estate tax as well as the possibility of its reinstatement.

Charitable Giving Made Easier
Because estate planning often involves charitable giving, our attorneys view charities as not just a means for generating deductions, but also active involvement on the part of the giver. We have formed, obtained tax exemptions for, advised, and sat on the boards of many charitable organizations operating in a variety of areas including:

• Conservation
• Historic preservation
• Churches
• Theatre
• Social services
• Education
• The visual arts

It is our special pleasure to be able to help our individual clients realize their charitable objectives.

Protect Your Rights, Whatever Happens
Our clients who are addressing their estate planning needs also often take the opportunity to execute living wills, durable powers of attorney, and health care proxies at the same time. We are usually able to prepare these items at minimal additional cost.