Wills, Estates, and Trusts

Estate Planning, Trust Practice, and Elder Care Law cover very broad ground, from documents that plan and direct personal wishes and financial affairs whether in respect of illness or death, to tax law issues, inheritances, healthcare planning, and even estates and guardianship proceedings and contests. No matter your age, health or wealth, everyone can benefit from planning. Thaler & Thaler's Estate Planning, Trust Practice, and Elder Care Law assistance can help you create a comprehensive plan for your life, health, money, and assets during and after life. Thaler & Thaler has over 75 years of experience in assisting clients with matters ranging from simple to complex, we strive to integrate estate planning into your existing personal and business plans, duly weighing needs, special or unique assets, small business concerns, insurance planning vehicles, real estate, agricultural planning, and of course tax reporting and planning. Thaler & Thaler handles a broad range of topics in this field, including:

  • Wills
  • Health Care Proxies
  • Living Wills
  • Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts
  • Special and Supplemental Needs Trusts
  • Powers of Attorney
  • Statutory Major Gift Riders
  • Gift Planning
  • Estate Administration
  • Credit Shelter Trusts
  • Trust Administration
  • Probate Administration
  • Long Term Care and Planning

Thaler & Thaler also handles all forms of related litigation, including estate, probate, or trust litigation and contests, whether in Surrogates Court or in the Supreme Court. When wills, trusts, or estates are contested we aggressively litigate the issues and strive to implement the clients wishes as expressed in the controlling documents, whether it is your will or trust. Yet, minimizing costs and careful planning, including tax planning, are essential goals of any advice and processes undertaken. Our Attorneys and staff are capable of handling any size plan or estate, and we can help you prepare a range of plans and documents that will accomplish a range of goals, from avoiding probate, establishing care and conservatorship goals, to gifting and minimizing tax obligations.

Wills and trusts each have their own benefits and limitations. Living wills serve a different goal than asset or gift planning. While trusts often offer more flexibility than a will and can help with very specific situations, such as avoiding probate and minimize estate taxes, they can be expensive and inappropriate vehicles for small estates and certain types of assets. There are hundreds of types of trusts and if not planned, structured, and funded properly, they can actually increase tax and other risks. Choosing an attorney in this area is important, and you will often need to rely upon that attorney or law firm long after you are gone. Having been around since 1927, and planning to still be here in 2127, we offer a proven long-range and experienced choice.

Thaler & Thaler, P.C.'s principal estates and trusts practitioner is Katrina Thaler Medeiros.