Protecting Your Legacy Through Planning

You have worked hard to build a legacy to leave to your family and your community. Most likely, you hope to protect that legacy and make sure it passes to the people you wish to benefit after you pass. For more than half a century, the estate planning lawyers at Cavitch Familo & Durkin have developed a special talent for sophisticated estate and tax planning, as well as probate and trust administration. We understand that every individual and family is unique. Therefore, we always design highly customized planning documents, no matter how complex the situation.

The Importance Of Comprehensive Estate Planning

A comprehensive plan does more than establish a list of beneficiaries to your property. It considers your well-being as you age, helps you plan gifts during your lifetime and considers special circumstances, such as caring for a disabled family member. Of course, the cornerstone of your plan will likely include a will, a trust or, perhaps, both for the following reasons:

• What a will can do for you – Your will can address a variety of estate sizes ranging from a relatively modest and simple estate to very complex property. It allows you to pass on your probated property to your chosen recipients and name the person you would like to administer your estate, as well as name a guardian for minor children.
• Options for trusts – Trusts come in many forms and serve a variety of purposes. The most common trusts are revocable, or living, trusts. You can establish these trusts during your life and pass them along in a variety of ways after you die without having to go through probate.

While wills and trusts are the staples of any estate plan, they are hardly the only documents you should consider. We also recommend exploring powers of attorney, health care directives and living wills. Allow one of our attorneys to help you create a plan that addresses your needs.

Protecting Your Assets From Future Claims

We understand the importance of protecting your assets for the future. Cavitch lawyers work as a team to structure an estate plan that suits the particular situation of each client to protect his or her assets from claims of future creditors. We apply a series of techniques that are designed to make it difficult or impossible for future creditors to attain your assets or collect judgments against you.

Setting Your Business Up To Prosper

We represent individuals and families who own and operate a wide range of businesses. We frequently advise clients with business succession planning to transition the ownership and management of a family business from an older generation to a younger generation of owners. Because of their many years of representing closely held business owners, our lawyers have a particular and creative expertise in the area of corporate succession planning.

Guidance Through Probate And Trust Administration

The responsibilities of being an executor or administrator in Ohio can seem overwhelming. The attorneys at Cavitch are able to give the sound and sensitive legal services needed to administer a decedent’s estate, some of which may include:

• Finding and valuing assets of the estate
• Settling debts
• Preparing probate court filings
• Filing federal and Ohio estate tax returns
• Addressing all issues related to the allocation of assets to beneficiaries

If an audit of an estate tax return is required, we have years of experience in tax preparation. We handle estates of all sizes and understand complex property issues that may arise.

Start Planning Today

The Cavitch team is ready to help you begin the estate planning process or help you undertake an estate administration. To schedule a consultation, please contact our Cleveland office at 216-621-7860.

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