ESTATE PLANNING
Estate planning is the process where a person develops a plan to conserve, protect and distribute estate assets before and after death for the benefit of loved ones and charities, taking into consideration the effect of state and federal tax and administrative laws and regulations. It can also involve planning if you become unable to manage your affairs during your lifetime.
Working with tax experts, financial planners, accountants, and most importantly, you — the estate planning lawyers at Gottlieb & Gottlieb can help you go from where you are today, to where you want to be tomorrow.
Estate planning is not just about your assets and possessions; it is about what you value. Our attorneys will explain the appropriate options and tools available, and help you evaluate which choices that will best reflect your values and achieve your long-term goals. Peace of mind will be the result.
At Gottlieb & Gottlieb, we counsel clients in techniques for conserving, managing and transferring wealth, and minimizing income, gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, whenever possible. This includes transferring all types of property interests, including sole and family proprietorships, closely-held corporations, real estate, partnerships, employee benefits and other investments.
Some of the specific services we provide are:
- Simple wills, wills and codicils
- Revocable Inter-Vivos (Living) trusts
- Gifts in estate planning, including Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs)
- Gift tax avoidance, including income, inheritance and estate
- Irrevocable Trusts
- Charitable giving strategies
- Special needs trusts
- Life insurance trusts (ILIT)
- Family-help foundations and trusts
- Durable Powers of Attorney
- Health care directives
- Business succession plans
- Asset protection and distribution planning
- Florida Department of Revenue and IRS tax planning
- Guardianships and conservatorships
- Probate and estate administration
Last Will and Testament: A Will is the first step in the preparation of an effective estate plan. Wills enable an individual to direct the manner in which their assets will be distributed after they have passed. A Will may include the creation of Trusts or appoint a guardian for minor children, as well as other key decisions.
Living and Other Trusts: Wills are often the centerpiece of an estate plan. Living Trusts are created during one’s lifetime and are commonly used to assist in wealth management and the care of individuals who may need help with daily activities. Upon passing, assets held by the Trust are distributed to the named beneficiaries without the expense or need of the probate process.
There are a variety of Trusts that can be created as part of your estate plan. The attorneys at Gottlieb & Gottlieb can fully explain these Trusts and how they might benefit your unique needs.
Business Succession Planning
- Planning for management succession and asset conservation through multiple generations at a minimum tax cost
- Assisting business owners in allocating benefits among children regardless of their involvement in the business
- Counseling on the short and long term estate implication of selling a business or restricting it
- Counseling on recapitalizations, gift programs and other techniques for shifting value during an owner’s lifetime or separating control from value
- Developing and implementing exit strategies from the business for an inactive family member(s)
- Planning for liquidity in the event of the owner’s death
- Preparing buy/sell, restrictive stock and employment agreements
- Structuring life insurance to minimize tax costs