Sophisticated Estate Planning & Wealth Preservation

This objective may be accomplished through the use of a wide range of techniques. Our attorneys possess expertise not only in estate and gift planning, but also in taxation of individuals, corporate and partnership, as well as asset protection. A successful, well-crafted Estate and Wealth Transfer Plan seeks optimal results in income taxation as well as estate and gift.

Our attorneys utilize all forms of trusts, such as Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, dynasty trusts, insurance trusts and charitable trusts. Our attorneys make extensive use of grantor trusts for income and estate tax benefits that enhance the overall effectiveness of an estate plan. We utilize and are familiar with limited liability companies and limited partnerships which are well known to the public as popular estate and gift techniques. We endeavor to preserve wealth across generations through the use of dynasty trusts and the judicious use of the generation skipping transfer tax credit.

Although taxation is a dominant motive in planning, minimization or elimination of taxation is not the only objective. Estate plans must be flexible and recent events have demonstrated that future events, although not foreseeable, may require adjustments. Drafting of trust instruments must anticipate that there will be a need to adjust and therefore, must strike a balance between flexibility and firm rules.

We also engage in international planning for individuals whose activities cross borders. The circumstance may be planning for a vacation home in the Caribbean or for extended family in Europe or China. We also utilize the laws of other nations in planning for such persons, especially where such laws provide flexibility or are better suited for the intended purpose. Our attorneys focus on the certainty and protection offered by tax treaties in arranging the client’s affairs and are capable of crafting means by which treaties may be accessed legitimately.

We welcome your inquiries and a meaningful discussion of your circumstances.