Representative Client Matters: ■ An older individual had no immediate family. Creative applications of traditional estate planning documents, using a corporate trustee (bank) as successor trustee and even as agent under his power of attorney, integrating mandatory care manager evaluations and a CPA in a monitor role, should assure financial and legal security and minimize the risks of elder financial abuse. ■ A young married couple with two children and a modest estate sought a basic will appointing guardianship. They also improved their property and casualty insurance protection, investment planning, life insurance and worked with us to implement general asset protection planning for future estate growth. An emergency child medical form was created to protect their children when they traveled. The pros and cons of 529 college savings plans versus other options were evaluated, and a trust for all their children was ultimately established instead.
We have established a cloud based “portal” to store copies of executed estate planning documents (“Portal”). This Portal will allow you, and anyone you choose, to have access to key legal documents whenever they wish, even when traveling or away from home, so long as there is internet access.
Wills
Trusts
Representative Client Matters: ■ An elderly couple sought to bequeath their modest estate equally to their three children, one of whom was a priest who had taken a vow of poverty. After extensive research and analysis, a unique trust was created to safeguard the son’s inheritance while respecting the formal requirements—and the principle—of the vow he had taken. ■ A client with a large real estate operation wanted to minimize estate tax. A sophisticated plan was coordinated with other advisers and resulted in a number of transactions to gift and sell assets to various irrevocable trusts using defined value mechanisms, note sale transactions, a sale for a private annuity, a tier of GRATs and other techniques.
Power of Attorney
Whatever a family’s size or circumstances, preparing a will and arranging for power of attorney are central to providing responsible care. We help our clients to make these critical preparations, protecting their loved ones and their assets while offering valuable peace of mind.