Trusts & Estates Practice  

At Skoloff & Wolfe, our Trusts & Estates group does far more than merely draft Wills for clients.

Estate and Gift Tax Planning
(including Charitable Giving, Business Succession Planning and Asset Protection Strategies)

We begin by analyzing a client’s financial circumstances, personal goals and tax objectives. Then we make recommendations regarding ways to minimize both federal and state estate and gift taxes upon the transfer of assets. Next, we prepare all types of wills and trusts, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, durable powers of attorney, living wills, health care proxies, and related documents in order to put an individual’s plan into action.

After taking care of the above first steps in an estate plan, where necessary to further avoid the imposition of estate tax, we work with the client to make determinations regarding the appropriate estate planning techniques for clients (including life insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), use of family limited liability companies (LLCs), self-canceling installment note sales, low-interest intrafamily loans, asset protection trusts, charitable foundations and charitable split interest trusts). In addition, when necessary, we prepare buy-sell agreements and related documents for family businesses to help in their succession planning.

Estate Litigation and Other Intra-Family Disputes

We represent clients in will contests, guardianship proceedings and in disputes concerning the distribution or administration of estates and trusts. In addition we advise clients relating to the settlement of disputes arising from the operation or management of family businesses.

Estate Administration

We represent estates in the probate of wills, collection of decedent's assets, payment of debts, calculation and payment of estate taxes, funding of trusts and the distribution of the remaining estate assets. In the course of this representation, we give advice on ways to minimize estate and income taxes for the estate and its beneficiaries.

Fiduciary Services

We serve in fiduciary capacities (as executors and trustees when appropriate) and advise fiduciaries with respect to the discharge of their duties.

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For further information, please contact us.