Trusts and Estates

Whiteford attorneys have the knowledge and experience to guide you through the complex, and ever changing, area of trusts and estates law.  Our team will work diligently with you to craft and develop your estate plan from both an estate tax saving and legacy planning perspective so as to ensure that your assets pass to the next generation in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.  We endeavor to establish long-term relationships with our clients and their families, so you can rest assured that our attorneys will help you keep your estate plan legally up-to-date and in line with your evolving life goals.  Furthermore, if you are involved in the administration of an estate or trust of someone who has died, we can help guide you through the probate and trust administration processes.  From life through death, our team is here to help you and your family transition as smoothly as possible.

Estate and Gift Tax Planning
Our team can help guide you through the complex and often confusing area of estate planning.  Whiteford’s estate planning attorneys work with clients to design and implement comprehensive estate plans that are unique to each client’s individual circumstances and legacy planning goals. From basic plans to more complex trusts and sophisticated estate tax, gift tax and international tax planning, our attorneys have the knowledge and experience to provide you with the appropriate advice. For our clients who are business owners, Whiteford estate planning attorneys work closely with the firm’s corporate attorneys to ensure that family-owned businesses pass smoothly from one generation to the next. As a testament to our reputation in the field of estate planning, we have for years had one or more of our attorneys who have earned the distinction of being elected Fellows of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
 
Special Needs and Incapacity Planning
Whether you yourself have special needs or have sustained illness or injury, or you are a parent or caregiver of someone in such circumstances, our team is highly experienced in helping individuals and families prepare for temporary or permanent incapacity, as well as asset protection for government benefit qualification and preservation.  We work closely with families to determine the best means for protecting the assets and well-being of special needs and incapacitated individuals, whether it be through guardianship and/or conservatorship proceedings, strategic estate planning including special needs trusts, preemptive Medicaid planning or other means.  We understand how sensitive special needs and incapacity planning can be and as such our attorneys provide compassionate and personalized plans to best meet the needs of the special needs or incapacitated individual and their loved ones.
 
Charitable Planning
There are many reasons to engage in charitable giving -- to provide funds for worthwhile causes, to create a legacy in someone’s memory, or to take advantage of the tax benefits. No matter what your goals, Whiteford’s charitable planning attorneys provide the expertise to get the most out of your charitable intentions. Our attorneys also have the experience necessary to provide you with the proper structure for your charitable gift, whether it’s a charitable remainder trust, a pooled income fund, or the creation of your own tax-exempt charitable foundation.

Estate and Trust Administration
If you have been named as a personal representative under a will, or as a trustee of a trust, these roles typically entail many responsibilities and duties. Whiteford attorneys provide advice to clients who serve in these fiduciary capacities and assist with all aspects of probate and trust administration, including preparation of estate tax returns and fiduciary income tax returns.   In addition, due to the high level of confidence and trust that our clients have in the judgment and abilities of our attorneys, our clients often call upon us to serve in these and other fiduciary capacities.  Our experience in estate and trust administration can provide for a smooth transfer of assets pursuant to a will or trust. And if a dispute arises concerning the validity of a will or trust, we can assist you in pursuing or defending against a challenge.

Fiduciary Litigation
Decades of counseling parties in matters involving the administration of estates, trusts and guardianships has provided our Whiteford attorneys with a deep knowledge of property disposition, administrative rules, fiduciary duties and obligations, and beneficiary rights, among many other often contested matters.  Our attorneys draw upon their expansive expertise when representing individual beneficiaries, charities, trustees, executors, banks and trust companies in a vast array of conflicts arising out of estates and trusts.  When disputes arise, our attorneys work on behalf of our clients to achieve resolutions that will maximize their interest whether it be through mediation, settlement or litigation.  Collectively our team will provide you with thoughtful guidance and advice as you navigate through your dispute.