ESTATE and advanced wealth transfer tax PLANNING

We work with our clients to develop thoughtful and sophisticated estate plans that integrate family values as well as personal, business, and tax goals into an overall wealth transfer strategy.  Our estate planning counsel includes advice on “basic” estate planning needs, such as wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, and advanced directives, as well as advice on broader and more sophisticated wealth transfer planning and other strategies for higher net worth individuals, families, trusts and estates

Traditional Estate Planning

We can advise you on your traditional “basic” estate planning needs, including wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, advanced directives, and related healthcare documents.  We partner with clients to understand individual and family needs to design customized estate plans that reflect family values around wealth, community, and philanthropy. 

Complex Wealth Transfer Transactions 

In addition to advising clients on traditional “basic” estate planning needs, we can provide advice to high net worth individuals, families, and business owners on sophisticated wealth transfer planning strategies, including generation-skipping transfer (“GST”) tax planning, transactions involving family-owned and closely-held business entities (FLPs, LLCs, LLLPs, etc.), family offices, grantor retained annuity trusts (“GRATs”), irrevocable life insurance trusts (“ILITs”), sales to grantor trusts, qualified personal residence trusts (“QPRTs”), trust reformations, and related wealth transfer strategies designed to minimize gift, estate, GST, and income taxes. 

Business Succession Planning 

We can help you develop a business succession plan for your family-owned or closely-held business that implements buy-sell agreements, incorporates life insurance, and minimizes the tax impact of ownership succession, all while coordinating with your overall estate plan.

Charitable Giving

For clients with philanthropic goals, we can advise you on the use of tax-favored charitable giving vehicles, such as private foundations, charitable lead trusts (“CLATs”), charitable remainder trusts (“CRUTs”), and charitable annuities. We endeavor to help you identify the charitable giving vehicle that will be most supportive to implementing your charitable goals and carrying on your family legacy of giving. 

Estate and Trust Administration

We can provide counsel to personal representatives and trustees in the administration of large estates after a death, including matters related to Colorado probate proceedings, ancillary probate proceedings, marshalling of assets, distribution of assets, federal estate tax compliance, disputes among fiduciaries, heirs, and beneficiaries, and fulfillment of fiduciary duties.  We also can provide counsel to trustees in the administration of trusts, including compliance with the terms of the trust agreement, observation of proper beneficiary reporting obligations, and prudent execution of the trustee’s related fiduciary obligations.

Marital Planning

We can advise clients regarding the preparation and negotiation of prenuptial/premarital and post-marital agreements.  We recognize that the process of negotiating a marital agreement is likely to bring up emotional issues for one or both parties, and we aim to mitigate any such tension by guiding and educating clients through the process.  We are attuned to the importance of coordinating marital planning with our clients’ overall estate plan.