Trusts & Estates Practice

From planning to execution and administration, we help families identify and define their goals so that they can utilize effective strategies to protect their wealth.

When approaching your estate/trust plan, Jill asks a lot of questions to learn about you, your goals and your assets, company interests and liabilities.  She works closely with your accountant if that is necessary. Early thorough planning is the only way to ensure that your wishes are met. We begin our representation by learning about you and your family so that we can advise on the best ways to fulfill your vision for yourself and your loved ones. We understand that your family may include particular circumstances like a child with special needs, a second marriage, or a desire to become eligible for Medicaid, we can advise on strategies to address them. Representing clients who are seeking prenuptial agreements is also a part of estate planning and Jill is experienced in the concepts involving distribution of assets after a divorce or upon death.

Once we’ve come up with a plan, we assist with

• Preparation and execution of Last Will and Testament
• Formulating, drafting, executing, and funding Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts for multi-generational wealth protection
• Identifying additional trust vehicles that take into account special circumstances like second marriages and providing for elderly family members
• Facilitating charitable planning and disposition of unique assets such as literary estates
• Preparation and execution of advance directives, including Living Wills, Health Care Proxies, Powers of Attorneys
• Modification and termination of existing trust and estate documents

An estate plan is only as good as its implementation and ability to serve our client’s goals. We represent fiduciaries and advise them about their responsibilities as trustees, executors, or other roles in the trusts and estates arena.

Where an estate plan has not been made, we advise clients on how to negotiate the complex array of laws and requirements to handle an estate. As part of our representation we:

• Prepare petitions to become fiduciaries
• Prepare and represent clients in kinship hearings which are sometimes necessary to establish relationships to decedent’s who die without trusts or wills
• Prepare affidavits and other submissions to facilitate access to assets such as safe deposit boxes or out of state assets
• Prepare lost or “ancient” will proceedings
• Prepare accountings for fiduciaries that reflect completion of asset recovery and debt resolution

In the event that a person has died without a will, or there are other challenges or complications, we can assist our clients with obtaining authority to manage the estate, identify the heirs and assure the correct payment of debts and transfer of assets.

When the assets in a trust or an estate are in dispute, resolving the matter can wind up in court. Our understanding of every phase of the trusts and estates process gives us an edge in representing clients in New York and New Jersey Surrogates Courts. We represent beneficiaries, heirs, fiduciaries, and administrators, bringing and defending proceedings, both contested and uncontested. We work on matters including turnover, construction proceedings, advice and direction proceedings, discovery proceedings, removal of fiduciaries, accounting, and termination of charitable trusts.

• Estate Planning Power Point
• Trusts and Estates White Paper
• MP Powerpoint