Much of life requires some kind of plan for the future in order to be successful. Estate and Legacy Planning is no exception. As a firm with over 100 years of legal practice we at Halverson Northwest have seen what works and what doesn’t when it comes to ensuring loved ones are taken care of and property and businesses are managed in accordance with the values and objectives of our clients. We know how to navigate the legal and relational elements involved and are well versed in specific planning for the following:
Nothing is more important than your family. We know a good estate plan provides for your loved ones, and we begin the estate planning process by listening to your family goals and values. Working with you we will design and implement a comprehensive estate plan that protects your family and assets during your lifetime and beyond. In an increasingly complex legal environment this requires careful planning. Recent changes in estate tax laws affect family wealth at both the state and federal levels. More changes lie ahead. Now more than ever, your estate must be carefully planned.
As a firm with over 100 years of legal practice the Halverson Northwest Trust and Estate Planning team brings together the knowledge, experience, and attention to detail that are necessary to provide the highest quality of service for your estate planning needs. We know what works.
Our proactive and focused approach will provide an initial estate plan for a young family to sophisticated estate planning and tax planning for family business succession, charitable giving, and multi-generational family wealth planning. Our Trust and Estate Planning team assists families in the following:
Our attention to family needs does not stop at the estate plan. We will be there to help your family through all aspects of estate and trust administration. We assist personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries in the probate of an estate or the administration of a trust. The process involves communicating effectively, selecting an appropriate fiduciary, gathering asset and liability information, protecting the assets, valuing the assets, preparing an inventory, preparing estate tax returns, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, resolving claims, preparing annual and final accounts, making distributions and closing estates.
A good business succession plan should provide for family wealth preservation and legacy planning. We provide focused estate planning for owners of closely held businesses including family farms and other agricultural businesses. The planning usually involves managing financial resources through the strategic use of trusts, gifts, buy-sell agreements, and other income- and wealth-transfer plans. These plans implement family and charitable goals while minimizing income, gift and estate taxes. Experience is every bit as invaluable in this process as it is in the rest of business. At Halverson Northwest we have the business acumen and legal expertise to ensure that your business continues to thrive long after the reins have been transferred.
We live in a world full of need, and those of us who can give have a responsibility to be as effective as possible with our resources. Defining and maintaining a charitable giving plan helps ensure the causes that are most important to you are receiving the largest benefit from your support, having a lasting impact and creating a legacy for your family. Halverson Northwest can help formulate a plan that will maximize the impact of your charitable giving in accordance with your values while ensuring the best tax benefit for you and your chosen charities.
Most people are aware of the need for a will and an estate plan. Given the longevity that we enjoy today, however, there is a real possibility that costly care may be required late in life. Elder law and planning prepares for that contingency by protecting your assets, obtaining long-term care benefits, and arranging for care services that will meet the needs of you and your family.
While we stay current on national changes to laws and benefits, as a regional firm Halverson Northwest also has specific knowledge of the care available here in the Northwest and can readily work through a plan that will suit you. We are able to help navigate the following:
Estate and trust litigation involves a myriad of issues, including family businesses, bankruptcy, fiduciary duties, tax law, real estate, and creditors rights. Effectively resolving complex trust and estate disputes requires a clear understanding of the substantive issues that have relevance, as well as strategic judgment, procedural and evidentiary expertise, and case trial experience.
At Halverson Northwest, our comprehensive Estate and Trust litigators are deeply knowledgeable in virtually every aspect of estate and business succession planning, estate taxation, administration, probate, guardianships and more.
We represent trustees, guardians, conservators, personal representatives, beneficiaries, heirs, and other interested parties in a wide variety of disputes.
We have successfully litigated claims involving:
Reducing the taxes you pay requires planning throughout your life. Your estate plan should be determined by your specific family goals but also incorporate methods to reduce or eliminate estate and gift taxes. There are a variety of ways to minimize taxes more strategically to reinforce these goals and plans. The complexities of tax law coupled with frequent change make expert guidance through this process invaluable. We at Halverson Northwest have the knowledge and expertise necessary to minimize the negative impact of taxes on your financial and personal goals.