Estate Planning Attorney in Laguna Beach, CA.
Hess-Verdon & Associates Represents clients throughout Laguna Beach, CA. and surrounding cities. While their proficiency in Estate Planning and Trust Administration for the ultrahigh net worth individuals and families is unequaled, what sets Hess-Verdon & Associates apart is their expertise in particularly complicated post-mortem litigation and disputes resolution, formations of companies, partnerships or LLCs, and all areas of real estate law.
Estate Planning Services
Advanced Planning of Wills and Trusts
If you have many Assets or a modest amount, everyone’s assets come under the title of “estate.” This term simply refers to all the things you own, such as car, a boat, a home, property(s), bank accounts, investments and possessions.
Special Needs Trust
A variety of state and federal benefits are available for person who may need skilled nursing care or who are unable to support themselves due to a disability.
Inheritance Tax Planning
Inheritance taxes are a type of state tax on property or money you receive when someone passes away. It differs from estate taxes because the federal government levies those on the estate of the person who dies.
Gifting and Charitable Planning
Planned giving is also referred to as gift planning or legacy giving. It allows philanthropic individuals to make larger gifts to charitable organizations than they could make from ordinary income.
Advising Trustees
Where there is a professional trustee rather than a family trustee, there may be a trust advisory committee, trust advisor or a trust protector.
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Servicing All of Laguna Beach, CA. Trust & Estate Planning Needs.
Estate Planning Attorney in Laguna Beach
Our Laguna Beach estate planning services include counseling clients and the preparation of Living Trusts, Wills, Insurance Trusts, Dynasty Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, Family Partnerships, Personal Residence Trusts, charitable trusts and other Estate Planning documents to effectuate our client’s goals.
For our clients who are business owners,m they require lawyers experienced in handling the disability or death of an owner or founder. Without a smooth transition, the business’s value is in jeopardy.
Probate and Trust Administration
We also provide legal services in the administration of probate and Trust Estates. The loss of a loved one is a traumatic event. Making financial and legal decisions while grieving is extremely difficult and stressful. At Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC we make the process of Probate and Trust administration as streamlined and pain-free as possible.
When probate is required, these services typically involve the preparation of court filings including petitions for appointment of executors/guardians/ conservators, inventories of assets, motions, settlements/accountings, and petitions for distributions. In addition, we represent individuals as trustees or as individual beneficiaries in adversarial court proceedings involving inheritance disputes. We help prepare federal estate tax returns for Estates and Trusts.
With over 29 years of invaluable Estate and Trust administration experience, we constantly strive to successfully resolve matters for our clients even in the most difficult of time and circumstances.
Litigation – Dispute Resolution
Ancillary to these litigation and administration services, we provide estate planning services to clients in Laguna Beach and surrounding cities. Litigation often requires the attorney to reconcile zealous, aggressive advocacy with potentially volatile intra-family dynamics. Probate and Trust litigation requires a balancing of sensitivity to family relationships and an aggressive approach to litigation which depends on the particular client’s situation.
The attorneys at Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC represent corporate and individual trustees, charitable organizations, and individual, beneficiaries in Estate and Trust litigation matters, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Will Contests
- Trust Contests
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty Cases
- Discovery of Asset Claims
- Guardian/Conservatorship Proceedings
- Determination of Heirship Proceedings
- Suits for an Accounting
The firm’s greatest compliment is when clients who have been through difficult probate or trust litigation cases return to the firm to plan their own estate so that their families can avoid those battles and difficulties. Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC knows how to prevent the issues that can destroy a family and its wealth.
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Years of Advanced Estate Planning
Confident and Appreciative Clients
Areas of Practice
Estate Planning
- Advanced Planning of Wills and Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Inheritance Tax Planning
- Gifting and Charitable Planning
- Advising Trustees
Trust Administration
- Representation of Individual Trustees and Corporate Trustees
- Represent Beneficiaries
- Estate Settlements
- Trust Accounting
- Petitions for Distributions
Trust and Probate Litigation
- Complex Litigation over Inheritance
- Will and Trust Contests
- Breach of Fiduciary Duties
Since its founding in 1990, full-service law firm Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC has provided Laguna Beach client-centered services with innovative and cost-effective solutions.
For nearly 30 years, Jillyn Hess-Verdon, Managing partner at Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC, and her team have advised thousands of high net worth clients on complex Trust and Estate issues with a combined client net worth of over $12 billion.
Have a question? A Hess-Verdon Attorney is ready to assist you:
(949) 706-7300
Let’s Build Something Together
The firm’s philosophy is to put the needs of the clients first to help them achieve their goals. The team at Hess-Verdon & Associates, PLC has assisted Laguna Beach families with matters ranging from planning family Estates to the creation and maintenance of businesses. Their hard work and dedication has earned a reputation for excellence and a track record of success.
What documents are needed for estate planning?
- Will/trust.
- Durable power of attorney.
- Beneficiary designations.
- Letter of intent.
- Healthcare power of attorney.
- Guardianship designations.
What is the estate planning process?
Estate planning is the process of deciding what should happen to your assets if you should die or become incapacitated, and taking the steps to ensure your decisions can be carried out.
Do I need and estate planning attorney?
Counsel and advice of an experienced estate planning attorney to create your estate planning documents can be at the up most importance. Otherwise, it may be a probate lawyer and your state’s department of revenue and/or the IRS that will receive the largest chunk of your estate.
Is Estate Planning necessary?
An estate plan goes much further than a will. Not only does it deal with the distribution of assets and legacy wishes, but it may help you and your heirs pay substantially less in taxes, fees, and court costs.
Client Testimonials
“Hess-Verdon is the most honest, caring, and thorough law firm. Not only have they changed my life, tehy have become dear friends in the process. I cannot recommend them enough”
“Always excellent and up to date trust information. Always prompt respones to our needs, combined with a friendly and cheerful approach.”
“A firm you can trust- completely informed on all aspects of estate planning.”
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