- Divorce
- AdoptionI work with stepparents, whether the adoption is uncontested or the biological non-custodial parent is contesting the adoption. Many of my clients come to me shortly after their marriage, but I also handle stepparent adoptions when families have been together for a significant period of time, after the adopting parent and child have had an opportunity to bond.
- Estate PlanningDuring the estate planning process, your attorney works for you to meet your goals and address your concerns with respect to your assets and how they are owned, and your family structure. It can involve the services of a variety of professionals, including your lawyer, accountant, financial planner, life insurance advisor, banker and broker and may also involve some of your loved ones if you choose.
- Wills
- TrustsThe term “living trust”, “revocable trust” or “inter vivos trust” is generally used to describe a trust which you can create during your lifetime, and which you can revoke or amend whenever you wish to do so. You can also create an “irrevocable” living trust, but that is permanent and is almost exclusively done to produce favorable tax results.
- Power of AttorneyA good estate plan will provide not only for the distribution of your property after death through a will or trust instrument, but will also help you and your loved ones prepare for decision-making in the event that you or a loved one becomes unable to make financial or personal decisions for yourself. Generally, these goals are accomplished through alternative decision-making documents including a health care directive (as known as a living will) and a power-of-attorney.
- Probate
- Tax LawEstate planning is a process that creates a plan that covers the transfer of your property at death as well as a variety of other personal matters and may or may not involve tax planning. The core document most often associated with this process is your will.