Legacy

The firm assists clients in developing estate-planning arrangements that reflect their wishes concerning property, decision-making and the people for whom they intend to provide. Counsel considers the client’s existing documents, family circumstances and ownership arrangements in determining which matters require attention.

The work includes consideration of authority during incapacity, the disposition of property, the selection of persons to carry out the plan and the relationship among the planning documents. As circumstances change, the firm assists with reviewing whether those arrangements remain consistent with the client’s intentions and the practical needs of the people involved.

Trust counsel addresses the purposes of the arrangement, the interests of beneficiaries and the responsibilities assigned to a trustee. The firm assists clients in considering how distribution provisions, management authority and succession of fiduciaries should be expressed within the broader estate plan.

The analysis also considers how the trust relates to the property it is intended to govern and to other planning documents. Clear drafting requires attention to both the discretion a fiduciary may need and the instructions the client wishes to establish. Counsel helps clients understand those choices and the administrative responsibilities associated with them.

The firm considers the ownership and planning arrangements through which clients intend to maintain and transfer property. The work focuses on the relationship among assets, contractual commitments and estate-planning documents, with attention to continuity of management and the client’s long-term family objectives.

Property held through a business, owned jointly or governed by a beneficiary designation may require consideration alongside the principal estate documents. Counsel helps identify inconsistencies, unresolved questions of authority and arrangements that call for further review, so that the planning discussion addresses the client’s holdings as a whole.

Succession planning connects the transfer of ownership with the authority and responsibilities necessary to continue managing a business or family interest. LaFontisee Law assists clients with the agreements and estate-planning arrangements supporting an intended transition, considering the interests of both those transferring responsibility and those expected to assume it.

The work may involve transfer restrictions, decision-making rights, the treatment of participating and nonparticipating family members, and the relationship between business documents and personal plans. Counsel focuses on documenting the intended arrangements and identifying matters that should be resolved while the relevant parties can participate in the discussion.

The firm provides guidance on estate administration and the responsibilities that arise following a death. Counsel assists with understanding the governing documents, identifying relevant property and information, and addressing the steps required to administer the estate in light of its circumstances.

Administration may require attention to ownership records, outstanding obligations, beneficiary questions and business or property interests that continue to require management. The firm helps clients organize these issues, understand the responsibilities of the person administering the estate and address questions affecting the implementation of the plan.