Trusts and Estates
At Schell Bray, our Trust and Estates practice group is involved in all aspects of estate and trust planning and administration, from preparing basic estate planning documents to planning and implementing the most cutting-edge planning techniques to transfer wealth and preserve assets where appropriate. We provide a full-range of estate and trust planning and administration services. We advise beneficiaries and fiduciaries of estates and trusts on their rights and duties and we form and advise tax-exempt entities.
In this practice area, we are often working with very personal and sensitive family relationships and the focus is often upon passing along the family’s wealth in the most practical and tax-efficient manner. We want to develop genuine relationships with clients so that they will be confident that our lawyers are handling their matter with seriousness, professionalism, confidentiality and respect for the importance of the matter to the client. The client should be sure that he or she is receiving practical and correct advice based on our real life experience, thorough knowledge of the law and sound judgment.
Due to the depth of experience of our lawyers and their expertise as recognized by their peers, we feel that our Trust and Estates practice group is well-suited to assist with any matter in this practice area, regardless of its size or complexity.
Basic Estate Planning Documents Such as Wills and Revocable Trusts (Living Trusts)
Designing and Implementing Sophisticated Estate Planning Techniques
- Family limited partnerships (FLPs) and family limited liability companies (FLLCs)
- Grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs)
- Sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts
- Generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax planning
- Special needs trusts
Planning for Transfer of Assets while Minimizing Income Taxes, Estate Taxes and Gift Taxes
Planning for Incapacity
- Durable powers of attorney
- Health care power of attorney
- Living trusts
- Guardianships
Business Succession Planning, including Buy-Sell Agreements
Life Insurance Planning, including Life Insurance Trusts
Charitable Gift Planning
- Charitable remainder trusts
- Charitable lead trusts
- Private foundations
Planning for Lifetime Gifts
Tax-Exempt Entities and Charitable Organizations
- Counsel to nonprofit entities in organization, governance and operations
- Consultation related to planned giving programs and related tax issues
- Applications for tax-exempt status
- Counsel to tax-exempt entities in fiduciary and tax matters
Trust Modifications, including Decanting
Assisting in Estate and Trust Administration
- Compliance with probate and fiduciary laws
- Preparation of estate, gift and generation-skipping tax returns
Counseling Executors and Trustees on Fiduciary Law Issues
Advising Fiduciaries and Beneficiaries regarding Trust and Estate Disputes
Planning for Distribution of Retirement Plans and IRAs
