Estate and Tax Planning

Estate planning and sophisticated tax planning efforts are critical components of the full range of services provided by The Law Offices of John A. Williams, PLLC. We focus on personal lifetime planning for individuals and their closely-held businesses. These planning efforts often involve the strategic use of trusts, gifts, intra-family sales and other tax efficient wealth-transfer devices.

We have the knowledge, experience and resources to assist our clients in implementing the most beneficial strategies available under current law. The laws governing estates and trusts have become increasing complex. One reason is recent, major changes in the estate tax laws which affect planning at both state and federal levels. More changes lie ahead. Now more than ever, an individual’s estate plan must be carefully constructed to ensure that his or her wishes are fulfilled. The mission of our firm is to aptly assist our clients with the implementation of those desires in a tax efficient manner.

The firm’s comprehensive estate and tax planning services include:

• Will planning and drafting, including determination of appropriate probate-avoidance measures.
• Establishment and administration of a broad range of trusts, including revocable living trusts, charitable trusts, educational trusts, trusts for children and multi-generational dynasty trusts.
• Advance planning for incapacity, including living wills, designations of healthcare surrogates, and durable powers of attorney for financial matters.
• Implementation of tax efficient family wealth transfer and asset protection planning techniques.
• Charitable giving, including lifetime gifts, bequests, charitable lead and remainder trusts and private foundations.
• Life insurance planning, including irrevocable life insurance trusts.
• Retirement planning, including lifetime distribution planning and advice on elections and disposition at death to maximize income tax benefits of IRA’s and other retirement accounts.
• Counsel regarding closely-held businesses and their owners, including business entity selection, transition and succession planning, control, valuation and liquidity.
• Establishment and maintenance of guardianships for minors and incompetent adults.
• Estate and trust disputes and litigation.
• Sophisticated tax planning within the lifetime construction of the estate plan and post-mortem estate and income tax planning.
• Planning and counsel regarding Florida’s unique homestead laws and their impact on the estate plan.