Estate Planning With Intention.

Have a question or ready to get started? Schedule a consultation to see if your matter qualifies and get clear next steps.

Who this helps

For individuals and families who want a clear plan in place to protect loved ones, manage assets, and make decisions in advance, including planning for incapacity, special needs, or future care.

The basics

Estate planning is the process of documenting how your assets and responsibilities should be handled during your lifetime and after death to ensure your wishes are carried out properly.

The process

We begin with a consultation to understand your goals. We prepare planning documents, review them with you, and guide you through execution so everything is properly completed.

What to expect

You can expect clear communication, a defined scope of work, and transparent pricing from the start. Each step is explained so you know what’s coming and can move forward with confidence.

About

This is an important step and we commend you on beginning this important process. Here is what you can expect:

Step 1: Consultation
We will meet with you for a one-hour consultation. During that time, we will learn as much as possible about your etate planning needs. You will learn about the process and we will work together to make sure your concnersn and nees are met. For some clients, they may be looking at asset protection, while others may want to ensure their legacy is passed in accordance with their wishes. Whatever your motivation, the Sookdeo Law Firm can help you achieve that goal and answer all your questions.

During your consultation
We will explain what occurs under various situations for your estate and provide options for different levels of estate planning based on your net worth, assets, and family dynamics. You might want a very basic plan, or a more detailed plan if you have minor children or a blended family. Some clients prefer more protection and may opt for a trust package. 

After our meeting
You will compile any information requested and return it by an agreed-upon date. We prefer that you complete our estate planning questionnaire before this initial consultation. All information is personal and confidential.

At your signing meeting
We will also discuss how to align your assets with your estate plan and provide you with detailed instructions for handling each of your assets, including account titling and beneficiary designations. We are also available to assist as you go through the asset alignment process. If you own real estate that requires retitling, we will ensure that your deeds are correctly recorded. Once the deeds are recorded, we will provide you with the originals. As part of the process, we will coordinate with your financial advisors and CPA to ensure that all of your assets, properties, and businesses are effectively aligned and appropriately titled to work with our designed plan.

Be aware
As with most things in life, the law also changes. And, as to be expected, families and assets change, too. It is imperative that you keep your documents up to date. We are always here to help make these updates and guide you through the constant changes in life and the law.

Let us help provide your family effective and flexible tax planning

Our high net worth estate planning clients require a more sophisticated level of planning. Christina Sookdeo is well-versed in the use of estate tax planning techniques including: the use of family limited partnerships (FLPs), grantor trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), Dynasty Trusts, 678 trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), Charitable Trusts (CRTs and CLTs), planning for Family Foundations and Donor Advised Funds, Spousal Life Access Trusts (SLATs) and sales to Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs). These types of asset protection plans are customized and implemented after carefully listening to our clients’ needs, identifying available options, and clearly explaining how the plan will operate to meet your goals.

In addition, our attorneys regularly prepare federal estate tax returns and federal gift and generation-skipping transfer tax returns at all levels of complexity. These returns are most frequently prepared in connection with our representation of an executor (in the case of an estate tax return) or in connection with a client’s planning transaction (in the case of a gift tax return). We also advise and aid other professionals who need assistance with the preparation of these returns.

We know that the uncertainty of federal tax law changes can wreak havoc on the tax liability of a family when proper tax planning is not contained in your estate plan. At Sookdeo Law Firm, PLLC we believe in flexible tax planning to ensure a workable plan to account for tax law changes, and in helping our clients navigate the complexity of working through tax planning so your assets stay in your family and are protected for future generations.

We are here to help our high-net-worth clients minimize tax liability. The Estate Tax, the Gift Tax, and the related Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax affect many of our clients. We understand that the uncertainty of federal tax law changes can wreak havoc on the tax liability of a family when proper tax planning isn’t contained in your estate plan.

We are here to plan and help your family plan for lowering your tax liability and protecting your assets. We believe in flexible tax planning to ensure a workable plan for different changes in law, and we help our clients navigate the complexity of working through tax planning.

We know that you’ve worked hard to build your assets. We work hard to make sure that we keep those assets in the family and protect them for future generations.

  • Estate planning typically includes a will and may include powers of attorney, medical directives, and other supporting documents based on your needs.

  • Estate planning services are offered for a fixed fee that is discussed upfront.

  • Yes. We regularly assist clients with planning that involves Medicaid considerations or special needs beneficiaries.

  • Most estate plans can be completed efficiently once information is gathered, depending on complexity.

  • In many cases, only one visit is required for document execution, with much of the process handled remotely.

Frequently Asked Questions