Private Client & Family Wealth Planning

We focus on providing efficient solutions in the areas of tax, estate planning, trust and estate administration, and business succession planning.  We work together with our clients to provide practical approaches that are individually tailored to each client, family or situation.

Our clients include individuals, families, start-ups, privately held businesses and senior executives.  We build lasting relationships with our clients and their other advisers.

Tax Planning  

Our attorneys have the experience to create solutions to minimize gift and estate taxes, income taxes, and generation-skipping transfer taxes while accomplishing lifetime and legacy goals.  In the estate planning area, we work with clients to structure wealth transfer techniques which, though tax focused, honor our clients’ non-tax concerns and legacy goals for succeeding generations.

Succession and Business Planning 

We work with families to gain a working knowledge of their business, understanding there is no one-size-fits-all succession plan.  We then partner with our clients and their advisers to craft a succession plan that takes into account ongoing cash flow needs, management continuity, credit facility concerns, tax considerations and family harmony. 

Charitable Planning 

Our team works with families to structure long-term charitable gifts, which can involve charitable trusts or family foundations.  We also work closely with local community foundations and established public and private charities to implement gifts and planned giving into client’s existing estate plan and beneficiary designations. 

Fiduciary and Trust Advisory Services 

We help individual and professional fiduciaries do their job more effectively and professionally.  Our experienced attorneys bring a combination of knowledge and practicality to financial institutions and individual trustees, executors and charitable entities.  Many times fiduciaries must fulfill duties to parties who may have different interests, and our attorneys are dedicated to helping clients manage the risk involved in balancing those interests.   We focus on practical solutions to often complex and multi-layered problems.  We advise clients on ways to avoid litigation and, where possible,  techniques  for resolving disputes.  If litigation is ultimately necessary, our fiduciary litigation team has the diverse experience to represent fiduciaries. 

Special Needs Planning 

Planning for individuals with special needs involves taking into consideration the individual’s abilities, family configuration, living situation, finances and medical needs.  It often includes establishing a special needs trust or other documents to assist the individual in acquiring or maintaining access to needs-based government benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).  Whether it’s planning for the continued care and quality of life of a child, determining the appropriate structure of a personal injury award, or other situations involving individuals with special needs, our attorneys have the experience to help our clients develop a plan best suited for the needs of that individual.