Murphy, Logan & Bardwell, PLC offers tax-sensitive, comprehensive estate planning, trust and probate administration services for clients located in the Napa Valley and surrounding areas.  We offer sophisticated solutions to complex estate and tax planning issues, employing advanced estate and tax planning strategies to minimize our clients’ tax implications while accomplishing the goals of our clients.

Estate Planning

Every client’s situation is unique, therefore we carefully craft estate plans tailored to the objectives of our clients. Our areas of representation include:

• Wills
• Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts
• Financial Powers of Attorney
• Advance Health Care Directives
• Bypass or Family Trusts for Surviving Spouses
• Qualified Terminable Interest Property (QTIP) or Marital Deduction Trusts
• Generation Skipping Transfer (GST) Trusts
• Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs)
• Special Needs Trusts
• Qualified Domestic Trusts for non-citizen spouses (QDOTs)
• Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs)
• Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs)
• Installment Sales Agreements
• Self-Cancelling Installment Notes (SCINs)
• Private Annuity Agreements

Business Succession Planning

Our lawyers are frequently brought into the planning process when a family member is retiring from the business and wants to explore business succession planning options or when a family business is being sold. We formulate tax saving strategies for the sale of a business, including Buy/Sell or Stock Purchase Agreements, and utilizing advanced planning techniques such as gifts of fractionalized interests, including sales to Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs).

Wealth Preservation and Asset Protection Planning

In our litigious society, high net-worth individuals often face an increased risk of exposure to litigation.  Our attorneys counsel clients regarding asset protection planning and wealth preservation strategies, including business protection involving the use of corporate entities, Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs), and Limited Liability Companies (LLCs).  Our attorneys also advise clients regarding multi-generational Dynasty Trusts and irrevocable trusts.

Trust and Estate Administration

Our trust and estate attorneys have extensive experience in the area of estate and trust administration, including the settlement of complex estate matters, post-mortem income tax planning, and the use of disclaimers.

Probate Administration & Conservatorship Matters

We represent clients in probate administration matters, ranging from the administration of small estates to the administration of large, complex estates involving significant business interests, residential or commercial real estate, and assets located in more than one state.  We also represent clients in conservatorship matters.

Trust, Estate and Probate Litigation

We also represent clients in trust, estate and probate litigation.  Our attorneys also provide experienced representation of trustees, executors, administrators, agents and other fiduciaries.  We represent clients in will and trust litigation, including contests, lawsuits concerning the interpretation of estate planning documents, trustee removal proceedings, and trust termination proceedings.

For further information on the firm’s trust, estate and probate services, contact Murphy, Logan & Bardwell.