SERVICES AND ARTICLES

Ronald J. Cappuccio, J.D., LL.M.(Tax) As an experienced Estate and Tax Lawyer, I perform the estate tax planning necessary to lower estate tax, gift tax, and state inheritance taxes. In addition, I enjoy counseling and advising clients to help achieve what they want in their estate and lifetime planning. Why should anyone other than your spouse, life partner, or the one you choose make the decisions about your illness, hospital visits, your funeral and what happens to your estate? The articles in this site will help you understand the various estate planning documents to protect you and your loved ones. The use of revocable and irrevocable trusts, living trusts, dynasty trusts and QTIP, QPRT and GRAT and other tax oriented plans are also explained.

Information Gathering

Gathering the information to help you plan your estate takes some work on your part. Here is my preliminary questionnaire to help you identify the key people for your estate:

Will and Estate Planning Information Form This PDF form helps you organize the information needed to begin the Will Preparation and Estate Planning Process.

Important Estate Planning Documents
How much does it cost for a simple will? Because many clients do not know how to start the estate planning process, they only think of a Will rather than the many documents which you will need to effectively plan your estate.

• What is a Will
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Living Wills and Medical Decisions
• Trusts
• Prenuptual and Postnuptual Agreements

Special Issues for those In Committed Relationships
The laws of each State identify the rights of married couples and blood relatives. If you are in a committed relationship and not legally married, you need to take extra steps to protect your partner. Blood relatives, such as parents, children and siblings may have rights to exclude your partner from making health decisions or even visiting you in the hospital! These are some of the life planning and estate planning documents which may help you:

• Partnering and Couples Agreements
• Hospital and health care visitation instructions
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Living Wills and Medical Decisions

Estate Administration
Being the Estate Executor and Trustee takes organization and work. It is not an "honor" to bestow lightly.

Administering an Estate

Asset Protection
Asset protection is the process of protecting your hard-earned money from creditors, the IRS, government and others making claims on your estate so you and your loved ones can benefit.

Personal and Financial Asset Protection

Tax Asset Protection