Wealth Preservation

You've worked hard to acquire your wealth.  Take the time to ensure your wealth is protected and that you maintain control.  Planning will help you minimize taxes, protect loved ones and guard against wealth transfer to the wrong individuals and wealth loss to unforeseen circumstances.

Asset Protection Planning

Don't wait until a lawsuit threatens to separate you from your wealth.  We can assist you with asset protection planning to build fortresses around your assets as a deterrent to any type of lawsuit.  Professionals are at a greater risk because would-be plaintiffs see professionals as "deep pockets."  If you wait until a claim arises to do this type of planning, you cannot leverage asset protection strategies to their fullest because of fraudulent conveyance laws.  Be proactive and do your asset protection planning before any claim arises.

Estate Planning

Many people don’t plan their estate.  Our government knows this, so every state has a "one-size-fits-all" plan for everybody.  Sometimes people think that by not planning their own estate, they have made no planning decisions when in fact they have made a decision because not doing one's own planning is ultimately the decision to accept the state's plan by default!  Using a state default plan may result in your wealth being directed completely in opposition to your wishes.  We want you to understand that you can control your own planning with your own choices.  Whether you are single, married, have a life partner, have young or grown children, are retired or are elderly, we can assist you in finding the right combination of planning tools so that you maintain control and you make your own decisions about transferring your wealth.

Special Needs Planning

One recent statistic notes that one in three people have a connection to someone having special or supplemental needs.  This type of planning is for loved ones with vulnerabilities such as developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, and head injury.  A document alone does not protect an individual.  It is the advocacy and care management built into planning that ensures a quality of life for disabled loved ones. We prefer to refer to these special trusts as Discretionary Trusts.

Discretionary Trust planning is not poverty planning; rather, it is planning that provides flexibility to deal with changed circumstances.  We help with asset protection so that loved ones are not at risk for losing governmental programs and perhaps more importantly, we integrate care management, tax planning and advocacy into planning to maximize quality of life.

Probate & Trust Administration

Losing a loved one is a traumatic, emotional, and stressful experience.  We are here to help with trust administration, probate, and handling post-death matters, including Federal Estate Tax Returns for taxable estates.

Business Planning

If you are a business owner, chances are your most valuable asset is your business.  We can help you generate increased returns on your investment, protect and grow your business, and leverage strategies for tax advantages.

Business Exit Planning

At some point, every business owner leaves his or her business either horizontally or vertically.  We believe business stewardship involves beginning and running a business with the end in mind because having a properly designed exit strategy allows the business owner to maintain control, preserve business value, and facilitate a structured exit with the best possible returns.

Charitable Planning

If you are charitably inclined, there are a number of different planning strategies we can help you leverage to reach your charitable goals.

Advanced Planning

Many different planning tools exist to help you maintain control of your property while you are alive, take care of yourself and loved ones should you become disabled, give what you want, to whom you want, the way you want and when you want, and in doing so you can minimize tax burdens, avoid court costs and other unwanted professional fees.

Among the many advanced planning tools are:  family limited partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts, intentionally defective irrevocable trusts, medicaid planning trusts, domestic asset protection, limited liability companies, life insurance trusts, and other sophisticated tools.

Litigation

Our law firm represents a limited number of litigants each year.  If you have a litigation matter and you would like our representation, we will first evaluate your case with you.  In the event we decline to take your case, we may refer you to other competent attorneys.