Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts

Smith, Gilliam, Williams & Miles' estate planning practice provides personal, in-depth counseling to individuals and families for the transfer of property. Services range from developing a basic estate plan involving wills and revocable trusts to designing more sophisticated plans for the transfer of family wealth to younger generations and charities. Our clients include individuals, families, nonprofit organizations and corporate fiduciaries.

We customize estate plans to minimize taxes, maximize wealth transfers and ensure the final distribution of the clients' assets are in accordance with their wishes.

In addition, our attorneys advise trustees, executors and beneficiaries on matters such as the interpretation of document provisions, tax issues and disagreements between beneficiaries and fiduciaries.We also assist clients with probate administration and post-death administration of living trusts.

Should a dispute arise, Smith, Gilliam, Williams & Miles works to use mediation to find workable solutions without the expense of litigation. If mediation fails, our attorneys are experienced litigators who passionately defend the interests of our clients. Smith, Gilliam, Williams & Miles both prosecutes and defends disputes pertaining to breach of fiduciary duty/surcharge actions, interpretation issues, will/trust contests, entitlement claims and other types of controversies.

Our experienced attorneys pride themselves in being accessible and compassionate in assisting family members with carrying out the planning of the decedent's wishes.

We assist clients with:

Planning solutions to reduce the Federal estate tax exposure
Creation of insurance trusts: Identifying the ownership of policies, transferring those policies to trusts to achieve the client's goals and remove a potentially large estate tax exposure.
Wills and trusts
Appointment of healthcare representatives and special needs trusts for disabled persons.
Advance directives: To guide family members in deciding the level of care for their last illness and who decides when and how to provide nourishment and other medical needs.
Powers of Attorney and Powers of Appointment
Estate and probate administration
Medicaid Estate Recovery

For more information on these matters, please contact one of our leading Estate Planning attorneys: