Estate Planning. This area includes preparation of wills, medical powers of attorney, living wills, financial powers of attorney, revocable living trusts, charitable trusts and other trust vehicles with specific purposes. An effective estate planning attorney must be conversant in many areas:

• Tax Planning. Many estates will incur estate tax in 2011 unless Congress changes the tax code. And, even "simple" estate planning (if there is such a thing!) involve income tax issues.

• Retirement plans, IRAs, annuities. Choice of beneficiaries and distribution methods, especially with a trust, have significant tax consequences. Your estate planning should include competent advice in this area.

• Asset analysis and transfers. Even the fairly simple task of avoiding probate will not be met unless you are properly advised on how to hold or transfer assets. We can provide written documentation for most assets.

Domestic Partner Agreements. There is no body of law governing unmarried couples, and therefore these agreements require detail and specificity.

Probate. Occasionally a probate is required (no trust or asset planning), or suggested (creditor issues, etc.). 

Business law. This area includes self-employed individuals as well as business entities such as corporations and limited liability companies. Documentation and advice includes drafting agreements between shareholders or members, split-offs and dissolution, transfers of ownership, purchase or sale of a business, and ongoing business matters.

Qualified retirement plans. Qualified retirement plans allow business owners and employees to defer income tax on contributions, and enjoy tax-deferred growth. We offer advice on plan design, and we integrate this area into your estate planning and business planning.

Other areas of practice. We may be able to assist you with other matters. If your question is not within our areas of practice, we will refer you to an attorney who is qualified in that area of the law.