TRUST, GIFT, and ESTATES

Our lawyers represent high net worth individuals and families, family offices, financial institutions, and trust companies, among others, assisting them in a broad range of services, including the following:

  • Advising individuals and families in all facets of US estate and tax planning. This may include simple wills and trusts to more complex strategies.

  • Advising fiduciaries (corporate and individuals) with respect to trust and estate administration, including issues of tax compliance and fiduciary obligations.

  • Assisting corporate fiduciaries and individuals in trust and estate litigation matters.

  • Drafting of wills, living wills, revocable trusts.

  • Representation in probate.

  • Representing art collectors in the acquisition, disposition, gift, estate, and other tax planning aspects.

Having many international clients, our lawyers coordinate global estate planning for the US, foreign, and multinational families. In addition to providing US legal advice, we coordinate their local estate and gift planning attorneys in other jurisdictions. We also represent foreign clients with substantial US investments and/or family members immigrating or temporarily present in the US. We assist these clients in structuring their US investments and maximizing tax efficiency in the US and abroad. We also advise individuals on pre-immigration tax planning and on the US tax aspects of expatriation.

Indicative representations include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • We assisted in drafting a New York based will for various high-net worth individuals.

  • We assisted in drafting “living wills” for various New York based residents.

  • We provided advice to foreign individuals on the US tax implications of relinquishing their green card and/or citizenship.

  • We represented a foreign (Brazil) high net worth individual in trust and estate planning of an investment in US real property worth over $15mm.

  • We have assisted a Thailand national restructure their U.S. estate (over $50mm).

  • We provided US estate planning advice for a dual-national having assets in the US and abroad (French) as well as coordination with local counsel on French issues.

  • We assisted in the cross-border regularization of US estate tax returns of a foreign (German) beneficiary of an estate that received substantial US situs assets after successive deaths; such assets were not previously reported on the US estate tax return properly.

  • We provided advice to a French tax resident on the application of the US/FR estate tax treaty, we also coordinated with French counsel with respect to French issues.

  • We have provided advice on the US gift tax implications of various gifts by foreigners to US residents, including assistance in any US tax filing obligations.

  • We have provided advice on the use of dynasty trusts for tax and credit asset protection purposes.

  • We have assisted clients on their US tax filing obligations with respect to investments made through trust structures, both at the individual and trust level.

  • We have assisted in probate.

  • We have assisted in objecting to accountancy in N.Y. estate matters.

  • We have assisted with Medicaid trust planning and respective transfer of assets.

  • We have assisted with the restructuring of an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT).

  • We have assisted with the modification and decanting of a foreign trust (Canada) to the US.