Planning your estate insures that your life wishes and visions are honored, that your loved ones are provided for in your absence, and that your estate is shielded from paying taxes to the greatest extent possible. The attorneys at Reiter Law are well versed in the various vehicles available to effectuate these safeguards in planning for the future. At the other end of the spectrum, the attorneys at Reiter Law provide estate administration services when a loved one passes on.
Wills, trusts and estate practice areas include:
Estate Planning:
Estate planning is crucial for everyone, no matter the size of your estate. We can ensure that you not only provide for your heirs, but that your wealth is transferred in a seamless and tax-efficient manner. Whether it’s a simple or comprehensive estate plan, our goal is to create an estate plan specifically tailored to your goals and ensure that your wishes will be followed after your gone. You can relax as the attorneys at Reiter Law guide you and your family through the process of defining your final wishes and seeing them through with confidence, confidentiality and competence.
Estate Administration:
When you lose a loved one, it is imperative that their assets and belongings be distributed properly. If this is not done in an efficient manner the results negatively affect those who are left behind who are already dealing with an emotionally strained time. Our mission at Reiter Law is to handle the estate administration process as efficiently as possible to better help you and your family heal.
Estate Litigation:
Estate Litigation is when there is any claim or contest to the estate. For example: if one of the beneficiaries or heirs of the estate does not believe the will entered is valid, a claim is filed or a will contest opened. We recognize that the time after a loved one passes is already emotionally charged and we aim to help smooth out any estate litigation that may arise to help everyone move on as soon as possible. Estate litigation is an unfortunate, but inevitable part of many estates. We know this particular time can become unpleasant but at Reiter Law we have decades of experience to help us make your experience as congenial as possible.
Asset Protection:
Asset protection is a type of planning intended to protect one’s assets from creditor claims. Asset protection is essential to insure your assets are safe from unnecessary taxes and anything and everything that could potentially diminish the size of the assets that you worked so hard to gain. It is important to be proactive and plan in advance to protect your assets before any potential claims or liabilities arise. This way, if a creditor does come around you are prepared and your assets are protected. It is important to act before your assets are in question because the “fraudulent transfer” rule could potentially undo any steps you take to protect your assets after the fact. We have asset protection strategies designed to shield and insulate our clients’ wealth from liability risks. If you are interested in protecting your assets, schedule an appointment today to speak with one of the attorneys at Reiter Law.
Medicare and Medicaid Planning:
There are two important aspects to Medicare and Medicaid planning and Reiter Law is equally equipped to expertly handle both situations. 1) Planning for the elderly. We can help you or your loved one insure that they will not have to worry about paying for medical bills out of pocket and that they qualify for governmental benefits such as Medicaid to cover these expenses instead. These trusts are often called “Medicaid Qualifying Trusts.” 2) Planning for parents who have children with disabilities. We understand that this can be challenging and we are qualified to help you develop solutions to better deal with these challenges. For instance, the creation and implementation of a “special or supplemental needs trust” can help. These are trusts that serve two functions. They preserve the beneficiary’s eligibility for public benefits (Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), public housing, or other program) and they help manage funds for someone with disabilities who may not be able to do so themselves.
Special Needs Planning:
We can help you establish a Supplemental or Special Needs Trust (SNT) for a loved one with disabilities. There are two different types of SNT’s – self-settled and third-party settled. We are well versed in both. Each SNT is aimed at preserving assets for the benefit of the disabled individual without losing their governmental benefits. A SNT is a vehicle to help you or a loved one avoid the unfortunate possibility that can arise if you leave your disabled loved one even a small inheritance. This can disqualify them from getting any government benefits such as Medicaid, SSI and SSD. You can protect that individual’s eligibility for these much needed governmental benefits by establishing a SNT as a part of your or their estate plan.
Guardianship/Conservatorship:
A guardian or conservator is someone appointed by the court to legally act on behalf of another who is not capable of looking after themselves, either due to disability, age or sickness. The attorneys at Reiter Law are experienced in assisting families with the process of petitioning the Courts to appoint a guardian or conservator.
Charitable Giving and Charitable Foundations:
At Reiter Law we believe that it is important that your assets go exactly where you want them to go. If you want to leave some of your assets to charitable organizations close to your heart then we can help ensure that will happen. We are happy to assist you and facilitate your charitable endeavors in life and in death. In addition, we offer advice and guidance on forming your own charitable foundation that, when carefully integrated with your estate plan, can provide benefits during and after your life. By creating a charitable or family foundation, you can contribute to your favorite charities and engage in various charitable endeavors during your lifetime, while receiving a charitable income tax deduction. The attorneys at Reiter Law can help explain the process of forming your own charitable foundation along with its myriad benefits.