Count on our experience in administering estate plans

While it is vital to have an experienced attorney handle the preparation of an estate plan, it’s equally important to have an attorney help you implement that estate plan to carry out the decedent's wishes and to avoid potential trouble with beneficiaries or tax authorities.

GillPierson offers expert counsel concerning all aspects of trust and estate administration, working to ensure that a decedent’s estate planning documents are interpreted correctly and that his or her assets are distributed accordingly.
When an individual dies, his or her estate needs to be collected, managed and distributed according to the dictates of the estate plan. Trust and estate administration involves gathering the assets of the estate, handling the decedent's income and estate tax matters, paying the decedent's debts and distributing the assets that remain in the estate.

We have worked with many estates that hold complex and difficult-to-value assets such as closely held businesses, major real estate investments, art, movie and television residuals, and music royalties and copyrights. We assist clients' accountants with the legal aspects of ongoing tax and accounting requirements for trusts.

We guide fiduciaries through the administration of decedents' estates and trusts, including appearing in probate court proceedings, supervising the administration of trusts, assisting with the transfer of assets, helping to resolve claims, as well as implementing a decedent’s distributive plans.

Post-mortem tax matters
We regularly handle federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax issues and work to ensure that fiduciary income tax matters are handled in the most beneficial manner for the taxpayer. Working closely with clients' accountants and other advisors, we specialize in preparation and defense of 706 and 709 returns, including audits, appeals, and tax court filings, and allocation and funding documents for sub-trusts under the estate plan. We also design and implement post-mortem tax planning techniques that are tailored to our clients' circumstances and geared toward the minimization and deferral of future income tax and estate tax liabilities.

GillPierson clients get the benefit of decades of targeted experience; a comprehensive knowledge of the laws, rules and procedures governing trust and estate administration; as well as a deep commitment to individualized service and integrity.