Estate, Gift & Charitable Planning

Since Schenck Price’s founding over 100 years ago, estate, gift and charitable planning has been a prominent part of our practice. The lawyers in our Estate, Gift & Charitable Planning Practice Group have broad trusts and estates experience and are well-versed in tax, trust and estate laws applicable to these matters. They regularly counsel clients on estate, gift and charitable planning, particularly in connection with the complex relationships between the transfer of property and federal and state taxes triggered by these transfers.

For clients with closely held or other family businesses,our lawyers assist with challenges related to inter-generational transfers of businesses, reduction of transfer taxes and liquidity for tax payment, as well as the implementation of agreements to promote financial protection of a business owner’s spouse and asset equalization among the owner’s children.

The Group’s lawyers have long been leaders in their field. They hold leadership positions in national, state and local professional and related associations. Two have been elected as Fellows to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).  Two hold Master’s degrees in Taxation (LL.M.), one is a former IRS attorney. Further, the Group’s lawyers are active on the New Jersey Probate Code Revision and Inheritance Tax Committees and in the New Jersey Bar Association’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law section.  Members of our team regularly write articles for various legal and other publications and speak at programs for professional, bar, educational, charitable, fraternal and civic groups on a variety of estate, gift and charitable planning topics.

In a practice like ours, it is as much about the relationship as it is about the law.  We take the time to listen to our clients. While we are frequently called upon to deal with the most sophisticated of matters, we know that it is often just as important to our clients that we sweat the small stuff. 

Collaboration is the hallmark of our practice. While each of our attorneys has extensive experience himself or herself, what makes our Estate, Gift & Charitable Planning Practice distinctive is our collaboration as a team to serve the particular interests of every client. In addition, whenever necessary, we call on the knowledge and experience of our colleagues in the Corporate, Tax Planning, Elder and Special Needs and other practices to address the needs of closely held businesses, families and individuals. 

We also regularly collaborate with other professional advisors – including accountants, financial planners, investment managers, custodians and trustees – to seamlessly serve our clients’ needs, whether those professionals are people we bring to the table or are selected by our clients.