Planning for Life’s Journey
Areas of Practice
An overview of the comprehensive services Burke & Casserly, P.C. provides…
Elder Law
- Estate and Asset Protection: Creating plans which often include the use of Trusts to safeguard assets from nursing home costs and other expenses.
- Medicaid Planning and Applications: Assisting with eligibility strategies and filing Medicaid applications for long-term care which also ensure eligibility.
- Long-Term Care Planning: Developing strategies to fund and arrange quality care for aging loved ones.
- Guardianship: Establishing and managing legal authority to care for incapacitated individuals.
- Advanced Directives: Preparing healthcare proxies, living wills, and powers of attorney to ensure your wishes are followed.
- Crisis Planning: Developing immediate strategies, including promissory (gift/note) note plans, for families with no prior planning to secure care and protect assets.
- Housing and Transition Planning: Guidance on choosing assisted living, nursing home, or aging-in-place options.
- Long-Term Care Insurance Evaluation: Providing analysis and counsel on long-term care insurance policies.
Estate Planning – Wills and Trusts
- Customized Last Will and Testaments: Drafting personalized Wills to ensure your wishes are honored and your loved ones are protected.
- Trust Creation and Management: Establishing Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts tailored to your unique goals. Irrevocable Trusts include Long Term Care Planning and Asset Protection Trusts (Medicaid qualifying trusts), Special Needs Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, and Dynasty Trusts.
- Wealth Preservation Strategies: Structuring plans to minimize taxes and preserve family assets.
- Incapacity Planning: Preparing durable Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Proxies, and Living Wills for comprehensive protection in the event of incapacity.
- Charitable Giving: Designing plans to maximize the impact of your charitable contributions.
- Guardianship Designations: Appointing guardians for minor children and dependents to ensure their future care.
- Business Succession Planning: Protecting and transferring business interests to the next generation.
- Periodic Plan Reviews: Review to update estate plans as laws and family circumstances change.
- Comprehensive Legal Guidance: Providing clarity and peace of mind through every step of the estate planning process.
Estate & Trust Administration
- Comprehensive Estate Administration Services: Probate and all Surrogate’s Court procedures.
- Trust and Estate management: Filing all required Court documents, accountings, disbursements to beneficiaries, resolution of claims, ongoing management.
- Trust Administration Support: Guidance for trustees in managing and distributing trust assets in accordance with trust terms.
- Fiduciary Representation: Counsel for executors, administrators, and trustees to fulfill their legal duties effectively.
- Creditor Claims Management: Review and resolution of claims against the estate to ensure proper debt settlement.
- Tax Compliance and Filings: Assistance with federal and state estate and fiduciary income tax filings.
- Customized Guidance: Tailored strategies to meet the unique needs of each estate and/or trust administration.
- Coordination with Financial Professionals: Collaboration with accountants, financial advisors, and appraisers to streamline the administration process.
Special Needs Planning
- Special Needs Trusts: Strategic planning including creating and managing first-party and third-party trusts to protect assets while maintaining government benefits or ensuring eligibility for SSI, Medicaid, and other essential programs.
- Trust Administration Guidance: Advising trustees or guardians of persons and property on their fiduciary duties and compliance with trust terms.
- Assistance to Pay for Care: Home and community-based Medicaid eligibility and applications.
- Guardianship: Establishing legal authority to make decisions for individuals unable to do so themselves under Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 or under Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act Article 17-A, as appropriate.
Financial, Investment & Retirement Planning
- Financial Goal Setting: Identifying short- and long-term financial objectives and creating actionable strategies to meet them.
- Investment Planning: Aligning investment portfolios with your financial goals, risk tolerance, and timeline.
- Retirement Income Strategies: Developing customized plans to ensure a steady income throughout retirement.
- Healthcare and Long-Term Care Planning: Preparing for potential healthcare expenses in retirement, including long-term care insurance options.
- Estate and Legacy Planning: Coordinating financial plans with estate strategies to pass assets seamlessly to the next generation.
- Tax-Efficient Strategies: Minimizing tax liabilities through careful investment and retirement account planning.
- Asset Protection: Safeguarding wealth from unforeseen risks through strategic planning.
- Business Succession Planning: Designing strategies to ensure the smooth transition or sale of business interests to successors.
- Education Cost Planning: Creating savings plans, such as 529 plans or other investment vehicles, to fund education expenses.
- Periodic Plan Reviews: Regularly reviewing and adjusting financial plans to reflect changes in your goals, market conditions, or personal circumstances.
Corporate & Business Planning
- Business Formation and Structuring: Assisting with the establishment of corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and other entities.
- Corporate Governance: Advising on compliance, policies, and best practices to maintain smooth operations and legal adherence.
- Buy-Sell Agreements: Drafting and implementing agreements to ensure seamless ownership transitions.
- Succession Planning: Developing strategies for transferring business ownership to the next generation or new leadership.
- Mergers and Acquisitions: Providing guidance and legal support for buying, selling, or merging businesses.
- Contract Drafting and Review: Preparing and analyzing contracts to protect your business interests.
- Employment Agreements: Creating clear and enforceable contracts for employees, executives, and independent contractors.
- Tax Planning: Structuring businesses to minimize tax liabilities and maximize profitability.
- Risk Management and Liability Protection: Identifying risks and creating strategies to shield businesses from potential liabilities.
- Strategic Growth Planning: Guiding businesses on expansion, investment, and operational efficiencies.
- Periodic Reviews: Evaluating and updating business plans to adapt to changing markets and goals.
