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Estate Planning & Probate

Estate Planning & Probate

Our attorneys offer everything from simple wills to comprehensive estate plans involving sophisticated trusts. We stay current on rapidly changing estate tax laws and take the time to gather personal financial information, understand personal estate planning goals, and design an estate plan to meet our clients’ specific needs. We have the expertise to help minimize estate taxes and protect chosen beneficiaries. We use clear and concise language in our documents, and we explain plans in detail. We work with you after the documents are signed to implement and update the plan, as well as to ensure that it continues to meet your needs.

Our estate planning & probate services include:

Powers of Attorney

We provide both health care and financial powers of attorney, including Vermont’s Advance Directive for Health Care Decision-Making, to express clients’ wishes should they be unable to do so in the future.

Probate

We assist clients in the administration of estates and trusts, whether the assets are in probate or not, and whether the client is an executor, administrator, trustee, or beneficiary.

Charitable Contributions

Charitable giving—the voluntary philanthropy that can leave lasting legacies in our communities—can be an important part of estate planning. We work with clients to achieve charitable giving goals by structuring gifts, creating charitable trusts, working with charities, or establishing a foundation of the client’s own design.

Asset Protection

If long-term care and nursing home costs are a concern, we can develop a plan that facilitates eligibility for government benefits while preserving assets to the full extent permitted by law. We can also preserve assets for those eligible for disability benefits.

Post-Death Planning

It is often possible to correct even substantial estate planning problems after death. Over the years we have assisted clients in reducing or eliminating estate taxes, correcting flawed estate plans, and bringing into effect otherwise invalid estate planning documents—even after death.

Estate Litigation

Disputes sometimes arise in the estate planning and administration process. Our experienced team of estate litigators can handle such matters in an efficient and cost-effective manner.