Areas of practice
Horen, Lockwood & Masters, LLP [formerly Schmidt, Horen & Lockwood, LLP] provides:
- Estate Planning
Estate Planning is the heart of our practice. We are thrilled to offer a combined 70 years of expertise in estate planning matters. We offer counsel from the protections offered by simples Wills and Powers of Attorney to more complex structures of layered trusts and LLC's - all with the client's goals and outcomes as our guide. When we say we are "Counsel for Your Journey" we apply our expertise to whatever circumstances may arise.
- Legacy Planning
Legacy Planning is planning so that your assets are available to benefit you, your spouse, your family, your loved ones and the causes which are near and dear to your heart far beyond your own lifetime. Legacy Planning clients do not necessarily have extensive assets, yet, the type of planning is essential for anyone who wants their values and virtues to survive beyond them.
- Asset Protection
Structuring your estate so that taxes are minimized while you are alive and after you are gone is a critical aspect of asset protection. We offer a range of options within our firm from ensuring your assets are titled to a trust creating off-shore vehicles to protect your estate from frivolous lawsuits.
- Guardianship and Conservatorship
Our Guardianship and Conservatorship clients range from families with children with special needs to elders to clients who have faced severe injury. We are adept at navigating the intricacies of becoming appointed a Guardian or Conservator, at representing clients in the appropriate hearings and in helping you monitor and report effectively on your actions as a Guardian / Conservator as required by the courts. We also have a strong history of focusing upon what is best for your unique circumstances and then creating negotiations to meet those needs.
- Estate Administration
When a loved one passes, there are many things to consider. We help clients negotiate these decisions while ensuring that estate administration takes places effectively, efficiently and transparently as possible given existing laws. Our goal in estate administration is to honor the wishes of the decedent as expressed in his / her will, trust and other estate plans, while also protecting the appointed Personal Representative. Our team is well versed in administering estates from those with limited assets to those in the multiple millions.
- Small Business / Corporation Formation
Creating your own business is truly like adding to your family. We are delighted to advise which business structure best meets your needs; brainstorm what solutions may lead to the best outcomes for your new company and ensure that the documentation which is created is strong, resilient and flexible. Our business clients range from business owners to consultants to experts in the field of medicine, law and engineering.
- Corporate / LLC/ LLP Counsel
Regardless of which from your company takes, we offer the background and knowledge to protect you and your assets while planning for growth, succession to the next generation of preparation for acquiring a new company or being acquired.
- Business Transactions
With a significant number of small business owners and entrepreneurs represented in our client base, we provide extensive counsel on business transactions from lease negotiations to buy-sell and employment agreements to ensuring that our clients are fully protected by the business from they have selected. We have substantial expertise in business negotiations, as well.
- Tax Counsel
Structuring estate planes and business negotiations so that tax consequences are minimized is a real area of strength for our firm. Having strong expertise in this area and continually updating our knowledge of the tax codes and how they are being applied is a constant and steady focus.
