Wills, Trusts and Estates

The century-old law firm of Gawthrop Greenwood invites prospective clients to contact us to schedule an initial consultation with one of our attorneys about your legal questions. Gawthrop Greenwood offers our clients a broad range of services related to estate planning and administration, as well as guardianship proceedings, living wills, powers of attorney, Orphans' Court litigation, and charitable and business planning. We advise clients of lifetime planning opportunities available through the use of wills, trusts, and the formation of various business entities, and we provide knowledgeable guidance through the process of estate administration.

We work closely with each client, pay particular attention to those aspects that make the client's situation unique, and customize every estate plan to fit the client's needs. Through the use of tested, reliable techniques, we help clients achieve their planning objectives while limiting their exposure to federal and state taxation. We strive to match the client’s needs with the appropriate planning technique, beginning with simple solutions and resorting to sophisticated techniques only when necessary. Our services include income, estate, gift, and generation-skipping tax planning, and techniques that we commonly employ include Life insurance Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships, Grantor Retained Trusts, and Charitable Remainder and Charitable Lead Trusts. We also provide services in the areas of business succession planning, retirement distribution planning, and taxpayer disputes with the IRS.

Gawthrop Greenwood also handles all aspects of trust and estate administration, including post-mortem estate planning. Estate administration includes probating the will, which is the legal process by which the authenticity of a will is proven, ensuring that debts are paid, and distributing probate and non-probate assets in accordance with the decedent's beneficiary designations. Our attorneys prepare accountings, federal estate tax returns, state inheritance tax returns, and fiduciary income tax returns. We employ sophisticated estate administration software to streamline the process and add value to the client's experience. At Gawthrop Greenwood, we understand that the loss of a close relation is difficult and that the ensuing process of settling an estate can cause anxiety and uncertainty. Our extensive experience in the area of estate administration makes this stressful time one with which our clients can more easily cope.

Attorneys at Gawthrop Greenwood believe in a client-centered approach to estate planning and administration. While tax implications are important, they should never be the sole consideration. Our top priority is developing close client relationships while helping clients to achieve their goals.

Attorneys:
Kevin Holleran
J. Stoddard Hayes, Jr.
Vera Parenti-Ancone
Mark L. Tunnell
Stephen J. Olsen

The law firm of Gawthrop Greenwood serves West Chester, Pennsylvania, and surrounding communities, including Downingtown, Exton, Kennett Square, Main Line Philadelphia, Coatesville, and Paoli, and the counties of Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Berks and Bucks.