Estate Planning

The Livermore, California Law Office of Elizabeth S. Cassidy offers comprehensive, tax-sensitive estate planning services for clients located in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Joaquin Counties.  Ms. Cassidy carefully crafts estate plans to accomplish the goals and objectives of her clients while minimizing their tax implications.  She recognizes that every client's situation is unique and prepares every client's estate planning documents accordingly.  Ms. Cassidy's areas of representation include:

Wills, Living Trusts and Related Documents

The Law Office of Elizabeth S. Cassidy prepares individually tailored estate planning documents including:

• Wills: Ms. Cassidy prepares simple wills for clients, as well as pour-over wills, which are wills which are designed to work in unison with a living trust. She also prepares wills with guardianship provisions for her clients' minor children.
• Revocable Living Trusts: Ms. Cassidy prepares living trusts and advises clients on how to properly fund their trusts in other to avoid the necessity of a probate administration on the death of a client. She also offers trust administration services following the death of a trustor.
• Financial Powers of Attorney: Ms. Cassidy prepares financial powers of attorney designating a person or persons to manage the financial affairs of her clients in the event they become incapacitated.
• Advance Health Care Directives: Ms. Cassidy prepares advance health care directives allowing her clients to designate a person or persons to make medical decisions on their behalf in the event they are unable to express their wishes with regard to health care.

Ms. Cassidy carefully documents her client's wishes and thoughtfully drafts all estate planning documents to avoid any ambiguities that may lead to a challenge or contest to the document.  However, disputes are sometimes inevitable, and in the event that litigation becomes necessary, she vigorously represents her clients' interests in trust and estate litigation.

Advanced Estate Planning

Ms. Cassidy has extensive experience in the area of taxation law and gift, estate and income tax planning strategies, including Generation Skipping Transfer (GST) Trusts and Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs).  She also counsels clients regarding the use of Special Needs Trusts to ensure continued government benefits for a disabled beneficiary.

Charitable Planning

If you have charitable inclinations, or if you are contemplating the sale of an asset with a relatively low cost basis, and would like to minimize the capital gains tax consequences of the sale, Ms. Cassidy can advise you and assist you with the preparation of a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT), Charitable Lead Trust (CLT) or a Private Foundation.  She also counsels clients regarding charitable gifts to Public Charities and Community Foundations.

Ms. Cassidy welcomes the opportunity to serve your estate planning needs.  Contact the Law Office of Elizabeth S. Cassidy by e-mail, or call (925) 371-1804 to schedule a complimentary consultation with an experienced estate planning attorney.