ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE AND GUARDIANSHIP
Estate Planning
Schlanger Silver has extensive experience in estate planning and provides a full range of estate planning services throughout our client’s lifetimes to ensure that their planning goals are met. These services include consultations on and preparation of:
- wills and related documents,
- estate tax and income tax reduction,
- asset protection strategies,
- charitable planning,
- family business planning, and
- caring for aging parents.
One of our priorities is to understand our client’s unique issues and objectives and implement solutions that meet those objectives, while minimizing income taxes and estate taxes. While some clients need simple wills and healthcare documents, other clients, such as family business owners, entrepreneurs, and high net worth clients, often need more sophisticated planning to secure better asset protection, reduce estate taxes, and provide appropriate asset planning for their children and grandchildren.
Probate
When a loved one passes and a will needs to be probated or if there is no will, the attorneys at Schlanger Silver stand ready to help clients navigate many issues that arise during the administration of an estate.
The probate process in Texas has a number of statutorily required steps that require follow through by the personal representative. In addition, there are often estate, gift and income tax issues that need to be addressed. Our attorneys are well versed in the estate administration process and are here to assist clients with the many issues that arise in the most cost effective and efficient manner possible.
Issues that often come up in the probate process include:
• Quantifying and seeking to minimize any federal estate, gift or income taxes
• Paying debts and expenses owed by an estate
• Assisting in the valuation of probate assets
• Clearing title to real property
Guardianship
At Schlanger Silver we understand the difficulties that families face when considering whether a guardianship is appropriate for a loved one. One of the initial steps in determining whether a guardianship is appropriate is to have your loved one medically evaluated. If a legal guardianship is determined to be necessary, our attorneys can help establish legal guardians and protect the best interest of elderly individuals, people dealing with mental illness, cognitive disabilities and individuals who are physically debiliated.