Laurel’s Approach
Laurel strives to provide detailed and holistic estate planning and trust/estate administration services for every client that she represents.
If she is assisting you with the preparation of a new or updated estate plan, rather than prepare ad-hoc documents by request, Laurel will first gather relevant information from you regarding your family structure and your current assets, income and expenses. She will then design a plan that is tailored to your individual situation.
The next step is an initial call so that Laurel may review her project proposal with you in detail and answer any immediate questions or concerns that you may have in advance of your first design meeting, which can be held either in person or via Zoom.
At the design meeting(s), significant time will be spent discussing your personal goals and objectives, concerns and questions, with regard to your estate plan. With your active participation, a customized plan will be crafted for you that will address your specific situation.
In addition to standard legal documents such as wills, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts (if appropriate), durable powers of attorney, and health care proxies, you will also be encouraged to fund any trusts that you create during your lifetime (full or partial trust funding can be included as an additional service at your request) and to integrate the use of ethical wills or other forms of letters of instructions to your fiduciaries, family members, and friends, to ensure your new plan is comprehensive and that your specific wishes and objectives are identified clearly for who follow you.
Should you be concerned about the potential for Massachusetts or Federal estate tax liability in the future, Laurel can review and explain the myriad of planning vehicles designed to mitigate future taxation of your estate, and together you will explore the availability and advisability of integrating more sophisticated estate tax planning techniques into your plan. Should it apply to your situation, available tools that are designed to reduce future taxation will be addressed with you at the first meeting and throughout the entire engagement.
On the administration side, each estate administration and trustee engagement has different and unique characteristics, dynamics, and action items that often reflect the individual needs and dynamics of the specific fiduciaries and beneficiaries involved. Laurel will work closely with each Trustee or Personal Representative (formerly Executor) to create a tailored approach to each such representation.
Family Advisory Services are offered to a limited number of high and ultra-high net worth clients who are in need of ongoing representation. Family Advisory programs are entirely custom-tailored representations, and each such agreement will be designed based on the particular needs and desires of each client family.
In addition, through her many years serving as estate counsel, as well as in her role as a member of the Professional Advisors Committee of The Boston Foundation, Laurel is well versed in the options and tools that exist to enable you to meet any philanthropic goals you may have. Upon request, Laurel can provide in-depth counsel regarding the myriad of planning opportunities available with regard to charitable planning– either during your lifetime or through your estate.
Finally, in line with her overarching goal of providing holistic estate planning counsel, Laurel has worked hard to develop long-standing relationships with trusted local professionals who offer complementary services (such as Insurance Advisory Services, Investment / Wealth Management Services and/or Trustee Services) for the benefit of her clients in need of such referrals. Laurel prides herself on identifying other professionals in complementary fields who share her commitment to client service and compassionate representation, coupled with a high level of technical expertise and prestige in their respective fields. She does not accept referral fees from outside advisors, and she works diligently to remain independent and constantly identify and research other outstanding professionals in complementary professional fields.