The Estate Planning Section attorneys work with donors and charitable organizations to accomplish charitable gift planning goals through the creative use of tools such as charitable lead trusts, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, or some combination of these. Firm attorneys have been featured speakers on the local, state and national level on the topics of creating and maintaining charitable split-interest trusts. Each individual client’s plan is developed over time to accomplish the goals in an efficient manner, usually as a part of the client’s overall estate or multi-generation wealth migration planning. Our attorneys also work with clients to help leave a charitable legacy through donor advised funds or endowed funds with the charity or charities of the client’s choice. The attorneys in the Exempt Organizations section of the firm work with clients in the establishment and operation of family private foundations, both operating and non-operating, as a means to accomplish the family’s estate, charitable gift and philanthropic planning goals.

Charitable Trusts

The Estate Planning Section attorneys counsel clients on the various types of charitable split-interest trusts, including Charitable Remainder Trusts and Charitable Lead Trusts. Firm attorneys have been featured speakers on the local, state and national level on the topics of creating and maintaining charitable split-interest trusts. Clients are counseled during the planning and creation processes. After the charitable split-interest trusts are created, many clients continue to consult with the firm’s attorneys with regard to maintenance and ongoing operational issues related to the charitable split-interest trusts, such as bookkeeping, recordkeeping and preparation of the annual report.

Testamentary Charitable Gifts, Charitable Gift Annuities, and Planned Giving

Our Estate Planning Section attorneys help those clients desiring to leave a portion of their estate during their life or at death to charity develop appropriate language to communicate the client’s intent with respect to use of the funds. Perhaps you know an individual that you would like to make sure is taken care of after your passing, but you want a charity to benefit from whatever may remain after that person is gone or no longer has a need. Perhaps you benefited from the education you received at a college, university or graduate school, and you desire to invest in future students. Or perhaps you would like to contribute towards a church or other religious organization. We help you maximize the effectiveness of your gifts through specific language in your estate plan, and through the development of endowment funds or donor advised funds with the charity or charities of your choice.