Trusts and Estates
Changing federal and state probate and estate tax laws make preserving a client’s estate and protecting his or her family a constant challenge. At Jardim Meisner Salmon Sprague & Susser, P.C., our attorneys are sensitive to this simple fact and work to provide our clients with protection against potential conflict and unnecessary expense.
Our attorneys have nearly half a century of experience in all aspects of such matters. We apply our experience practically and efficiently to assist clients in the transfer of their property and to resolve disputes and avoid the dissipation of wealth. Our services include the preparation of simple wills, creating complex trusts, generation-skipping transfers, and charitable giving plans. Our attorneys and staff also assist our clients in estate administration beginning with the probate of the will, through the collection of the decedent’s assets, payment of liabilities, preparation and filing of the estate tax returns, and the distribution of the property to the beneficiaries. We also advise fiduciaries and other trustees with respect to the administration of trusts and their distribution upon termination, including resolution and (if necessary) litigation of estate and income tax controversies.
One of our objectives is to avoid disputes over the disposition of assets (especially closely held businesses), whether in the context of an estate, a divorce or separation, pre-marital planning, or assisting in the difficult decisions involved in selling a business or planning for the succession of a younger partner or family member into a position of control. Frequently, the solutions to such problems involved alterations in the capital structure of the business and/or the design and execution of a buy/sell agreement, both of which invoke significant tax-related issues and can affect a corporation’s election under Subchapter S.
However, when it is not possible to avoid such disputes, we are prepared to engage in litigation on the client’s behalf. When the situation requires it, the attorneys in our Trusts and Estates section also work with other attorneys in the firm—to assist and advise clients in the structuring of a business enterprise, the acquisition or sale of assets, or the resolution of matrimonial and related family matters.
Many diverse matters fall within the purview of trust and estate law. Each client inevitably faces a unique combination of facts and circumstances which must be dealt with. We believe that our clients are best served by formulating solutions that are appropriate for that individual based on our comprehensive knowledge and in-depth experience, with special attention to the preservation of the client’s wealth.
Our clients are also increasingly faced with legal problems associated with aging, including Medicaid planning, guardianship, and related issues. Our attorneys are ready to help.
