Schragger, Schragger & Lavine, LLC has a wealth of experience in the wills and trusts field. We assist clients in all aspects of wealth transfer, from the time of wealth creation to its ultimate distribution to future generations or charities. We assist in freeing up restricted or illiquid assets forgiving, then in minimizing income and transfer taxes on those gifts, balancing clients’ current cash needs against possible gift-giving opportunities. We advise heirs on the preservation of their capital, intergenerational transfers, and charitable stewardship. We create estate plans for final transfers, with an array of tools for both protection of funds and beneficiary flexibility.
The firm assists in the restructuring of family businesses to achieve family goals. We keep abreast of changing financial and commercial markets and trends and incorporate that expertise into the planning process.
We work closely with individuals and families. Sometimes differing views within a family leads to disputes which result in litigation. While we aim to protect the client’s interest through transfers during the drafting and planning process, we also assist when a dispute, often tax-sensitive, goes to court.
In addition to the drafting of wills, trusts, powers of attorneys and living wills, children’s and grandchildren’s trusts, and charitable trusts, Schragger, Schragger & Lavine, LLC have experience in the creation of partnerships, LLCs, and other corporate or trust entities to hold and distribute family assets; resolution of family disputes prior to the institution of litigation; advising trustees regarding multiple family structures, the law pertaining to investments with respect to tax-sensitive long-term trusts, duties to income beneficiaries, and drafting to preserve exemptions; litigating all aspects of execution, interpretation, accounting and distribution of wills and trusts; and structuring installment and other privately financed intra-family sales of significant assets. We also have specialized audit and tax controversy experience.
Schragger, Schragger & Lavine, LLC can assist elderly clients in protecting assets. We have a range of experience which permits us to review our clients’ assets and determine whether existing law can be used to assure that if nursing home care is necessary, all of one’s assets are not depleted.