Wills Trusts and Estates

Our firm has been assisting clients with their estate planning and estate and trust administration needs since its inception, and Felice has led the estate planning and probate team in excess of 25 years. Our clients are primarily residents of Summit County, but we also work with individuals, and their attorneys, from other states and countries planning for their properties in our resort community.
Estate Planning
A good estate plan is one of the most important things that anyone can do to provide peace of mind to one’s self and his or her family.
We understand that estate planning is a very personal process involving individuals and their families working together to facilitate matters for their loved ones at their death or disability.
Our goal is to preserve the wealth of our clients, give them the peace of mind that everything will happen in an orderly manner and in accordance with their wishes at their death or upon disability, and use common sense and creativity to reach practical, effective solutions without unnecessary complexity.
Peace of Mind
A well thought out estate plan is one of the most important things that anyone can do to provide peace of mind to one’s self, family and loved ones. It is important for people with young children to plan for their needs in the event of an unforeseen tragedy. Proper estate planning is also critical for those with no spouse or children, for blended families, unmarried couples, and clients who have children or family members with special needs.
Certain techniques, such as creating revocable trusts, may work well for those concerned with probate avoidance, privacy of administration, family disputes after death, multi-state properties, and aging parents. We also maintain a relationship with tax counsel to assist as needed for our clients with estates that could be subject to estate tax upon death.
Estate Administration
Working through the death of a loved one is a difficult time, and enlisting seasoned legal counsel to administer an estate or trust upon death can relieve uncertainty and anxieties, as well as greatly facilitate the process.
We assist with estate administration from opening probate and defending the will, through testamentary trust creation and administration of the assets, to distribution of the estate and closing the probate.
Our paralegal with over 25 years of experience and an established local network plays a large role in assisting with these processes in a cost efficient, individualized and caring manner.
Areas of Expertise
Our practice encompasses all aspects of wills, trusts, and estate law including:
Wills
Testamentary trusts
Revocable (living) trusts
General durable powers of attorney
Medical durable powers of attorney
Living wills (End of Life Medical Directives)
Probate administration
Ancillary probate
Trust administration
Transfer of real estate to trusts
Beneficiary designations and deeds
Premarital, marital and cohabitation agreements
Getting Started
Those interested in our estate planning services can call or contact us by email to request an estate planning questionnaire and introductory letter providing cost estimates. The first meeting is with one of our attorneys, during which our goal is to evaluate your situation and create a plan individualized for you and your family. Such meetings are currently conducted through video conferencing.
As part of this first meeting, we prioritize hearing your goals and circumstances, and then we assess your assets for tax, titling and beneficiary designation needs, pose questions, and propose a plan that to insure your wishes are met upon incapacitation or death. We conduct signing of documents with COVID protocols or we can provide instructions for signature elsewhere.
Contact Our Attorneys for your Wills Trusts and Estate Needs


FELICE F. HUNTLEY
Partner

EMILY H. SAUNDERS
Associate