Estate Planning

The Estate Practice Group counsels clients on the importance of properly prepared Estate Plans to minimize inheritance taxes and direct assets before and after death.  The purchase of a home, the arrival of a new baby, bonus and royalty payments from recently signed oil and gas leases and/or an inheritance of wealth are just some of the events that can be addressed by a properly prepared Estate Plan.  Jointly held accounts (when appropriate) life insurance and transfer of oil/gas/coal and mineral interests are all available tools to pass wealth to family members.  Many people have inquired or have elected to place assets into “revocable” (Also called intervivos or living) or “irrevocable” trusts.  The Firm’s Attorneys and CPAs counsel and guide families through the morass of paperwork, identify probatable non-probatable, taxable and non-taxable assets that pass in and outside of an estate whether an individual dies testate (with a will) or intestate (without a will).  Generally the executor or administrator selects the Attorney to represent the Estate, who may or may not have been the drafter of the Last Will and Testament.

The Estate Practice Group’s Professionals and Para- Professionals prepare:

• Last Will and Testaments
• Testamentary Trusts
• Special Needs Trusts
• Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts
• Durable General Powers of Attorney
• Health Care Powers of Attorneys
• Living Wills
• Oil, Gas and Mineral Plans
• Family Corporations
• Limited Liability Companies

In addition, the Firm provides legal representation for:

• Estate Administration – Probate
• Estate Litigation