Estate and Succession Planning
My practice focuses on estate and business succession planning, particularly for professionals, corporate executives, international organization officials, owners of closely held businesses and their families. It includes preparation of
- Wills and Revocable Living Trusts
- Irrevocable (including Life Insurance) Trusts
- Private Foundations
- Charitable and Educational Trusts
- Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts
- Personal Residence Trusts
- Advance Medical Directives
- Health Care Powers of Attorney
- Living Wills
- Durable Financial Powers of Attorney
- Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements
- Shareholder Agreements
- Formation and organizational documents for S and C Corporations, Family Limited Partnerships, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
I provide estate planning primarily for Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia residents, but also for residents of other jurisdictions, including by partnering with qualified counsel in other jurisdictions, or as appropriate, retaining or recommending local counsel in other jurisdictions.
My approach to estate planning is personalized. My clients seek and deserve the advice needed to make informed decisions specific to their estates, their families and their wishes. While preparation of appropriate and accurate documents is important, it follows only after a detailed, personal meeting with the clients, to learn their needs, desires and individual and family circumstances. I then analyze the specifics in the context of the relevant tax and other laws.
Every client will receive the planning, explanation and customized documents they want and need. I normally provide a detailed estate plan explanatory letter with draft documents within several weeks of meeting, if sufficient information has been provided and primary decisions are made. If necessary, I can usually complete the work even more quickly. I work closely and personally with clients so that they can understand the relevant legal and tax issues and make informed decisions about their estate planning. While maximizing tax savings in estate planning is very important, I strive to understand clients’ family and business circumstances and needs, so that the non-tax considerations receive the appropriate attention, as well.
I strive to keep my fees fair and competitive. I explain my fee estimates in detail upon request, so that clients understand how my services are charged and why. Proper estate planning can frequently save hundreds of thousands, or in a large estate, millions of dollars in estate taxes. An investment in my estate planning services should be one of the most cost-effective investments you ever make.
Estate and Trust Administration
Proper estate planning and proper administration of probate estates go hand-in-hand, which is one reason I do both.
Since I handled my first probate estate almost 30 years ago, I have represented clients in numerous probate proceedings in MD and DC and advised or otherwise been involved in proceedings and ancillary administrations in VA, NY, MA, FL, DE, TX, PA and NE, including by partnering with or retaining qualified counsel in other jurisdictions, or where appropriate, retaining or recommending local counsel in other jurisdictions.
As I am admitted to practice in the courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia, I represent personal representatives, executors and beneficiaries in MD and DC probate matters. I also assist personal representatives, executors and beneficiaries on primary and ancillary estate administrations in other jurisdictions, including particularly the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County, VA estate matters.
My estate administration practice includes post-mortem estate planning, seeking and obtaining statutory spousal and intestacy shares, will contests, advising on rights as beneficiaries of trusts and wills and petitioning for trust modifications.