Estates, Trusts & Personal Planning

Our attorneys are highly regarded as being among the leading estate planning counselors in the region because of their experience, judgment and sensitivity in advising clients on important personal planning issues. They focus on careful planning and drafting to meet the individualized needs of our clients, helping to assure their property will be distributed to family members and friends upon their death the way they desire, planning for future nursing home and long-term care needs, and minimizing the loss of assets to estate taxes or for long-term care.

They also advise both institutional and personal fiduciaries on various estate and trust administrative issues such as document analysis, unitrust and power to adjust, and settlements. They have extensive experience in both revocable and irrevocable trusts, as well as family limited partnerships, and will provide clear-cut explanations on whether these documents are recommended and, if so, what they mean and will do for you.

Our attorneys admitted to practice in Florida also assist clients who make Florida their residence with personal financial planning relative to their change, including Florida-specific estate planning documents and representation in domicile audits.

Our attorneys also qualify not-for-profit charitable trusts with the appropriate taxing authorities, serve as trustees for a large community foundation, and work with business executives and owners to meet their business successorship and individual estate planning needs. In addition, financial institutions work closely with us in the drafting and administration of trusts. And, when necessary, our attorneys successfully litigate matters relating to probate and personal planning. Specific services include:

Estate Planning and Administration

• Wills and trust planning and drafting
• Estate and trust administration
• Estate tax planning
• Counseling executors from probate to final distribution
• Development of health care proxies, living wills and powers of attorney
• Guardianships
• Litigation of estate and trust contests and guardianship matters
• Business succession planning
• Not-for-profit qualification
• Preparation of state and federal tax returns

Long-Term Care

• Medicare and Medicaid planning
• Consulting on long-term care insurance coverage
• Private medical insurance
• Long-term care policies
• Assistance regarding cost/availability of long-term care in Central New York

Family Legal Issues

• Adoptions
• Name changes
• Prenuptial agreements