Trusts & Estates
Friedemann Goldberg Wargo Hess LLP’s estate planning attorneys are viewed in the highest regard by their peers, have frequent speaking engagements, and are authors of articles and book chapters on family limited partnerships, generation-skipping transfer tax, business succession, and domestic partnerships. Our team’s experience spans the full spectrum of Trust and Estate matters.
We represent clients with wide-ranging needs in regard to complexity – from the high net worth to those with more traditional needs – with the same level of care and courtesy as we would expect for ourselves. We strive to relieve our clients’ concerns and ensure the maximum level of asset security through decreased tax liability and thoughtful generational wealth transfers.
We have extensive experience in drafting estate plans for clients with wide-ranging needs – from the high net worth to those with more traditional needs – and excels at safeguarding our clients’ loved ones and their assets at all phases of estate planning, trust administration and, if necessary, litigation. We strive to relieve our clients’ concerns and to handle matters with the same level of care and courtesy that we would expect for ourselves and our families.
Our high quality product and results are derived from our high quality team which is led by partners Steven M. Goldberg, Ronald P. Wargo and Stephanie Barber Hess. Both Mr. Goldberg and Mr. Wargo are Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Goldberg is a three-time winner of Worth Magazines “100 Best Estate Planning Attorneys in the Nation.” Ms. Hess leads the firm’s probate litigation practice and is experience in all forms of litigation procedures.
Areas of Focus
Estate Planning
Through teamwork, creativity and common sense we carefully craft plans to meet our clients’ wishes and needs. Our firm is a leader in preparing comprehensive estate plans, specifically including wills, powers of attorney, health care directives, and myriad varieties of trusts, including living trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, special needs trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, spousal lifetime access trust, and irrevocable life insurance trusts. Through our collective expertise in family business succession planning, offshore asset protection planning, and estate tax deferral strategies, where appropriate, we craft plans with an eye to maximize asset security and decrease tax liability through generational wealth transfers.
Trust & Probate Administration
After a trust has been established, proper administration is essential. Our firm provides guidance to fiduciaries from start to finish on probate and trust administrations, including advising on fiduciary duties, assisting with ownership transfers, handling gift transfers, and working with charitable organizations. We also represent beneficiaries in asserting and securing their beneficial interests.
Litigation
While we aspire to resolve trust and estate matters seamlessly, quickly, and without conflict, there are some matters that can only be resolved through litigation. For those matters, we have attorneys that focus their practice on litigation of probate and trust disputes. As such, we are always prepared to advocate for our clients to the fullest extent and to explore every avenue available to ensure that trust and probate matters are litigated efficiently and successfully.