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Probate & Trust Administration

Tax & Wealth Management

Walter Haverfield’s attorneys understand estate and trust administration can be a complicated process. It has become increasingly important to select counsel who has extensive experience in probate and trust administration, and is familiar with both probate court requirements and related complicated estate tax issues to properly implement a deceased’s estate plan.

Practice Group Leader

Gary A. Zwick, Partner

Gary is a partner who has a general tax practice, with emphasis on tax planning for closely held and family businesses and their owners, and high-net-worth individuals. His focus encompasses not only income tax planning, but also estate planning, retirement plans and planning, business and individual taxation, Subchapters C & S, mergers and acquisitions, employee benefits and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and tax court practice and controversy work.

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Our Probate & Trust Process

With our unique blend of skilled, dedicated attorneys, we ensure assets are transferred in an orderly and efficient fashion and that estate tax liability is properly assessed. While the probate process is designed to run smoothly, problems often arise between family members or beneficiaries, which can further complicate and slow down the probate and trust process. Our Tax & Wealth Management Group’s strength lies in our ability to resolve these interpersonal conflicts and keep the implementation plan moving forward.

In addition to estate and trust administration, our attorneys and paralegals assist our clients in navigating legal and courtroom procedures dealing with guardianships, conservatorships, inter vivos and testamentary trusts, and other estate planning issues.

Probate & Trust Administration Team

Recognition

Our attorneys in our Cleveland and Columbus offices are consistently ranked and recognized by Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, and more. At Walter Haverfield, we pride ourselves on becoming each client’s trusted advisor for all their tax and wealth needs.

U.S. NEWS – BEST LAWYERS® 2023 “BEST LAW FIRMS” RANKINGS

  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Banking and Finance Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Commercial Litigation
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Litigation – Labor and Employment
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Litigation – Real Estate
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Litigation – Trust & Estates
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Real Estate Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Tax Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 2: Construction Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 2: Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Metropolitan Tier 2: Litigation – Environmental
  • Metropolitan Tier 2: Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 3: Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Metropolitan Tier 3: Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 3: Litigation – Construction
  • Metropolitan Tier 3: Litigation – ERISA

U.S. NEWS – BEST LAWYERS® 2022 “BEST LAW FIRMS” RANKINGS

  • National Tier 2: Land Use & Zoning Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Environmental Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Land Use & Zoning Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Land Use & Zoning Litigation
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Real Estate Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 1: Real Estate Litigation
  • Metropolitan Tier 2: Banking and Finance Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 2: Construction Law
  • Metropolitan Tier 2: Environmental Litigation
  • Metropolitan Tier 3: Construction Litigation
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Experience

  • Administering trusts of all sizes
  • Preparing heirship determinations
  • Managing problems in the administration of trusts and estates
  • Representing trustees and beneficiaries in complex trust litigation
  • Serving as trustee for trusts ranging from minimally funded insurance trusts to significantly funded active discretionary trusts; maintaining communications and relationships with beneficiaries and grantors, performing investment policy statement review and process, and implementing discretionary distribution decisions
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