Trusts & Estates

Trust law is a specific are of law relating to the formation, administration and termination of trusts. In a trust, there are several different components, each with their own terminology: A "grantor" establishes the trust and places property (the "corpus") into trust. A "beneficiary" is a person entitled to enjoy -- but not control -- the trust corpus. The "trustee" is the individual or institution who controls the trust corpus for the benefit of the beneficiary, by following the written terms of the trust instrument.

Because we are planning for a very uncertain future, our estate planning strategies strive to achieve flexibility for our clients and their families, without yielding adverse tax consequences. Some of the estate planning techniques our attorneys utilize for our clients include:

• Special needs trusts
• Minor's trusts
• Marital trusts
• Family trusts
• Dynasty trusts
• Generation skipping trusts
• Intentionally defective grantor trusts and
• Family limited partnerships.

Our attorneys have expertise in these and other advanced estate planning techniques.

GPGN estate planning attorneys serve the needs of the individual clients who seek to transfer assets effectively and carry out their family objectives. In carrying out those goals, we also consider the impact of federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxed on the passage of wealth. We also advise our clients about the many forms of charitable giving to reduce taxes.

GPGN also advises Personal Representatives (i.e. "executors") and trustees about administering estate and trusts, and guide them in all aspects of fulfilling their responsibilities. We represent clients in avoiding - and resolving - will or trust disputes, interpreting wills and trusts, and related litigation.  (see Probate)