LeVangie Law Group

Trusts and Estates

The LeVangie Law Group provides experienced estate planning, probate, and trust administration services. We provide planning for estates large and small and estates operating a wide variety of closely-held businesses, such as farms and ranches, real estate management and development, construction, technology, automotive and food services. We learn about you and your vision for the future to focus on your individual personal estate planning goals. Our group prides itself on developing creative solutions to help clients achieve their estate planning goals. Our estate planning, probate, and trust administration practice includes:

Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts

We create a wide variety of revocable and irrevocable trust structures, including:

  • Revocable Trusts and Related Documents
    • Wills – Financial Powers of Attorney – Advance Health Care Directives
  • Irrevocable Trusts
    • Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs)
    • Generation-Skipping Trusts (Dynasty Trusts/GST Planning)
    • Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs)
    • Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs)
    • Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs)
    • Special Needs Trusts (SNTs)
    • Qualified Domestic Trusts for Non-U.S. Citizens (QDOTs)

Business Succession Planning

We assist individuals and their families with the transition of business interests from one generation to the next. We work with clients and their other advisors to understand the clients’ tax and non-tax goals. Business succession planning frequently includes:

  • Gifting Strategies (Including Gifts to GRATs and Other Trust Structures)
  • Sales of Business Interests (Including Installment Sales to Grantor Trusts)
  • Valuation Discount Planning
  • Family Limited Partnerships
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • Corporations (S and C)
  • Buy-Sell Agreements
  • Tenancy-in-Common Agreements

Retirement Benefit Planning

Retirement benefits often make up a significant portion of a person’s estate.  Planning for the disposition of retirement benefits is critical.  It is important to coordinate the beneficiary designation of the retirement benefits with the participant’s estate plan.  Following a participant’s death, beneficiaries have important elections to make that can have significant tax ramifications.  Our expertise with retirement benefits includes planning for:

  • Beneficiary Designations
  • Conduit Trusts as Designated Beneficiary
  • Charity as Designated Beneficiary
  • Spousal Rollovers
  • Inherited IRAs
  • Required Minimum Distributions

Charitable Planning

We structure charitable gifts and assist in planned giving through a variety of techniques to help clients achieve their charitable goals.  Our charitable planning includes:

  • Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs)
  • Charitable Lead Trusts (CLATs)
  • Private Foundations
  • Donor-Advised Funds and Agreements
  • Conservation Easements

Pre-marital and Post-marital Planning

We advise individuals contemplating marriage and married couples with respect to their property rights.  We also advise clients contemplating entering into registered domestic partnerships.  Our pre and post-marital planning includes:

  • Pre-marital Agreements
  • Post-marital Agreements
  • Cohabitation Agreements
  • Planning for Registered Domestic Partners
  • Planning for Blended Families
  • Lifetime Marital Trust for Spouse (QTIP Trust)

Trust Administration and Probate Services

We advise and assist trustees, executors, and beneficiaries with the administration of a decedent’s trust or estate.  Our trust administration and probate practice includes:

  • Trust Administration
    • Trust Funding and Asset Allocation Agreements
    • Appraisal Support
    • Trust Accountings
    • Heggstad Petitions
  • Probate Administration
    • Formal Probate Proceedings
    • Spousal Property Petitions
    • Small Estate Affidavits
    • Other Summary Probate Proceedings
  • Disclaimer Planning
  • Fiduciary Income Tax Planning

Trust and Estate Litigation

We advise fiduciaries and beneficiaries in the course of trust and estate litigation.  Despite the best intentions and efforts, disputes sometimes arise.  We work to resolve those disputes between the parties.  Our trust and estate litigation services include:

  • Challenges to the Validity of Estate Planning Documents (Will Contests)
  • Claims for Breach of Fiduciary Duty
  • Fiduciary Accountings
  • Negotiating Final Distribution Agreements
  • Mediation