ESTATES & TRUSTS / ELDER LAW | Estate Planning

Estate planning is one of the most fundamental and most important legal services that a lawyer can provide to clients. The estate plans we design assist clients, to the maximum extent possible, to minimize the burden of gift and estate taxes and to protect assets from the threat of existing and potential creditors. Because tax laws, asset portfolios and family dynamics all change on a regular basis, it is important for estate planning clients to review and re-evaluate their estate planning goals and documents every 3-5 years or as often as circumstances require.

The attorneys of Offit Kurman’s Estate Planning Practice Area are dedicated to the design, documentation and implementation of high-quality estate plans for individuals and families. We routinely assist high net worth families by developing plans to transfer wealth from one generation to successive generations. Our planning process considers each client’s unique needs and challenges and tailors a solution for the preservation of assets for future generations. Whether a client has sophisticated or basic goals and enjoys substantial wealth or is of more modest means, our lawyers can develop a customized plan that is tailored to meet the specific needs and objectives for the client in question.

Our Estate Planning Practice Area has substantial experience in the following areas:

• Preparation of Wills, Trusts and related Estate Planning Documents
• Formation and Representation of Private Foundations
• Retirement, Charitable Giving and Life Insurance Planning
• Pre-Marital and Post-Marital Agreements
• Preparation of Dynasty Trusts, Charitable Remainder and Lead Trusts, Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts and Qualified Personal Residence Trusts
• Sales to Intentionally Defective Trusts
• Gift Tax Planning
• Preparation of Family Limited Partnerships, Offshore Asset Protection Trusts and other Estate Planning Vehicles