Estate Planning

In her estate planning practice, Meri-Beth drafts documents tailored to each client’s individual needs and wishes.  These include Wills (ranging from the basic, simple Will to more sophisticated, tax sensitive documents), Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives (Living Wills, Health Care Proxies) and various types of Trusts (Revocable “Living Trusts”, Insurance Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, Testamentary Trusts, Pet Trusts, etc.).

In addition to drafting the documents, Meri-Beth pays careful attention to the details.  Even the fanciest Will is of little use if there are no assets passing under it, so Meri-Beth works with her clients to make sure their assets are in sync with their plan.  This includes the ownership/titling of assets as well as careful attention to beneficiary designations for life insurance, IRAs, qualified plans, etc.  “It may not be the most glamorous work,” Meri-Beth admits, “but it is critically important to a successful estate plan.”

Estate Administration

Another big part of Meri-Beth’s practice is helping to administer estates after a person has passed away.  This includes probating Wills, setting up and funding trusts, preparing and filing inheritance tax returns and estate tax returns and transferring and distributing assets to the beneficiaries.  “I understand that this is a very difficult, emotional time for family members and it is very rewarding to help someone navigate what can be a lengthy and confusing process,” Meri-Beth explains.

Meri-Beth has extensive experience guiding clients through the estate planning and administration process.