Estate Planning and Administration

Dornish & Scolieri has provided estate, business continuity, charitable giving and elder care planning, estate and trust administration and litigation services. We concentrate on providing quality and personalized services to our clients and, when appropriate, in conjunction and consultation with our client's advisors like accountants, financial planners, investment advisors, custodians and trustees.

One of the principal functions of Dornish & Scolieri’s estate planning is to review with our clients the complex relationship between the transfer of property and Federal and State taxes imposed on such transfers.  Dornish & Scolieri is called upon to recommend plans which not only achieve the client's objectives of transferring property to desired persons or entities, but also reduce the cost of transfer taxes imposed and provide for liquidity to pay taxes and costs. The implementation of Wills, Trusts, Insurance Planning, Gift Planning, Partnerships, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills and other techniques are frequently utilized.

Estate planning involves programs for lifetime transfers of wealth as well, and Dornish & Scolieri assists clients with the utilization of transfer techniques during lifetime, including transfers and gifts which are outright, in trust, partnership or corporate form.

Planning for aging and incapacity is important, and Dornish & Scolieri provides advice regarding lifetime assistance, elder care, the right to control medical treatment through the use of Living Wills and Advance Health Care Directives, Durable Powers of Attorney and other mechanisms for the management of assets during lifetime.   When a loved one passes away, with or without a will, Dornish & Scolieri guides families through the probate and administration process. Our attorneys assist with the orderly transfer of real estate and personal property including the preparation of state inheritance and federal estate tax returns.

Dornish & Scolieri assists fiduciaries in estate administration. Areas of responsibility include the preparation and maintenance of calendar systems, collection of information and/or assets, valuation of assets, verification of bank balances, maintenance of financial records, filing life insurance and other death benefit claims, and the preparation of preliminary tax and cash estimates. We also provide counsel in the preparation, examination, audit and appeal of inheritance, estate, generation skipping and fiduciary income tax as well as gift and Charitable Trust tax matters.

Practice Areas:

• Wills

• Living Wills

• Powers of Attorney

• Living Trusts

• Buy/Sell Agreements

• Family Limited Partnerships

• Trusts

• Coordinated Estate and Business Succession Planning

• Gift Planning

• Insurance Planning

• Elder Law

• Charitable Giving

• Charitable Remainder Trusts

• Charitable Lead Trusts

• Foundations

• Personal Residence Trusts

• Generation Skipping Trusts