Our firm offers a free initial consultation to discuss the following:
 
    Introductory Estate Planning - Estate planning can mean different things to different people.  Identifying what your present and future goals are for your assets is the most important step to creating an effective estate plan. Our strongest attribute is listening to our client’s unique situations and helping them develop an effective estate plan. 

     Estate Plan Review  - We will be happy to review your existing estate plan documents to make sure they are up to date from a legal perspective and also from changes in your family situation.  We can give you pointers on how to improve your estate plan documents as well as help you re-codify your estate goals.     

     High-End Estate Planning - Most estates do not have to deal with estate taxes after the effective estate tax credits were increased to allow for estates below $5,450,000 for single people and up to $10,900,000 for married couples, which will increase with inflation.  For those fortunate enough to have an estate in excess of the current estate tax limits, we offer the latest and most advanced planning techniques available that can help reduce your potential estate tax liability.    

     Business Planning - If you have a business in your estate, you may face issues that are more complicated than a non-business estate.  Issues such as non-family partners, family members that work in the business and desire to keep the business in the family, potential estate taxes, personal guarantees, retirement plans, control issues and asset protection are only some of the issues facing business owners.  We can help you develop your goals in relation to your business and help you develop a plan to carry out your goals.

     Charitable Gifting - Our office can help you accomplish your charitable goals with a wide variety of charitable solutions.  We can help you integrate your immediate and future charitable goals with your overall estate goals to maximize your tax and charitable benefits.    
 
     Trust Administration - Even with an effective estate plan and properly funded living trust, there are many duties a trustee faces when a grantor dies.  The trustee has liability if the trustee fails to comply with the law in closing an estate.  We can help guide you through the steps necessary to properly carry out the terms of the trust as well as help you comply with the duties  the law requires.    

     Probate - If your estate is not properly planned, a probate may be necessary to transfer the estate assets to the proper beneficiaries.  There are several non-probate alternatives such as a community property petition, Heggstad petition and small estate affidavit that may be used instead of a probate.  Our firm can help you explore these alternatives before a probate is filed.  If the non-probate alternatives are not available to you, our firm can handle the probate for you.