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Wills,
Trusts, and Estate Planning: I
prepare and implement estate plans for individuals, couples,
and families at all stages in life. I help my clients
to position their assets and to prepare wills and trusts directing
asset disposition and management when they are gone. I
also prepare powers of attorney, health care proxies, and other
documents authorizing others to make decisions on a client’s
behalf should he or she become disabled. Other estate
planning issues that I address with my clients include deferring
and minimizing estate taxes, making lifetime gifts, planning
and providing for the high cost of immediate or potential
long-term care needs, and planning and providing for the
special needs of children, parents, or other family members. |
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| Click
here for Estate Planning Issues and Tasks |
| Click
here for Estate Planning 101: Frequently Asked
Questions |
| Estate and Trust Administration: I
represent and assist clients in their fiduciary roles as executors
and administrators of estates and as trustees of trusts. With
respect to estates, I help get my clients appointed as executors
and administrators by the Probate and Family Court, and I help
them to understand and complete the numerous tasks associated
with administering an estate, such as opening an estate account;
gathering and transferring assets out of the decedent’s
name into the estate; paying estate debts; making distributions;
and filing inventories, accounts, and other necessary documents
with the court, tax authorities, and other state and federal
agencies. With respect to trusts, I help secure court
appointment of clients as trustees where necessary, and I help
all of my clients to understand, interpret, and carry out their
responsibilities under the terms of their trusts. As
I do with respect to estate administration, I help trustees
complete the various trust administration tasks, such as transferring
assets, making distributions, and preparing accounts. |
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Small Business Formation and Operation: I
represent and advise small businesses and their principals
at all stages of the business life cycle. I help entrepreneurs
start up their own businesses and address issues like entity
formation, shareholder agreements, corporate governance,
and initial contracts. I help both emerging and established
businesses with things like ongoing governance, state filings,
and records maintenance, as well as negotiations, transactions
and, where necessary, disputes and litigation. I also
provide advice in areas where I can help to ensure that both
a business and its principals achieve their respective goals,
such as financial and business planning, assessment of growth
opportunities, and strategic decision-making. |
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| Business Succession and Transition Planning: In
addition to helping businesses with their day-to-day legal
needs, I help principals engineer and implement plans for business
succession and for various transfers of business interests. I
help principals of family-run businesses plan for and implement
transfers of ownership and control to the next generation. I
also help principals plan for and implement various business
transitions and transactions, such as the buyout of one partner
or shareholder by another or the sale of some or all of the
business to outsiders. I also help principals plan for
the continued operation of a business should a key owner or
employee unexpectedly die or become disabled. All of
these situations present myriad issues, including ensuring
the accuracy of company governance, operations, and financial
records in preparation for a transition; the value of the business;
the tax ramifications of various transaction options; the financial
needs of departing principals; the financial needs of those
acquiring ownership and control; and ensuring the company’s
survival following the transition. I help clients not
only to understand what all of these issues are and how they
interrelate, but also to make informed decisions and complete
all of the individual tasks associated with a transition. I
also help clients to navigate the often complex family and
personal relationships that are implicated in the planning
process, the actual transition, and continuing business operations. |
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| Residential and Commercial Real Estate: I
help people buy and sell their homes and other residential
real estate. I also help businesses address their real
estate needs through acquisition or leasing arrangements, and
I work with clients on land use and zoning matters. I
represent and assist clients at all stages of real estate transactions,
whether it is a purchase and sale, a lease, or a permit or
variance approval process. Among the matters I handle
are transfers of income-producing properties, including Section
1031, or “like-kind,” exchanges to defer capital
gains taxes; “land swap” transactions; and determination
of zoning and use parameters for building expansions and renovations. |
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| Negotiations, Agreements, and Contracts: Finally,
I represent and advise individuals with respect to all manner
of business, employment, and personal negotiations, agreements,
and contracts. This category includes such things as
employment or severance agreements, consulting and service
contracts, non-competition and non-disclosure agreements, and
residential construction and renovation contracts. |
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If you are in need of advice or representation in any
of these areas, please give me a call to discuss your situation
and how I can help you.
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