Business Details
Your Trusted Estate Planning Partner in Savannah
Smith Barid is a dedicated legal practice focused on preserving legacies and protecting families through personalized estate planning solutions. With over 50 years of combined experience, our attorneys specialize in crafting tailored strategies that address asset protection, elder law, special needs planning, and probate administration. Our client-centered approach prioritizes clarity, efficiency, and long-term security, ensuring every plan aligns with individual goals while navigating complex legal frameworks. We emphasize proactive education, transparent pricing, and collaborative execution to minimize disputes and maximize inheritance value.Our team's expertise in government benefit programs and tax-efficient planning provides clients with comprehensive safeguards against unforeseen challenges. By integrating legal, financial, and healthcare directives, we deliver holistic solutions that adapt to evolving personal circumstances and regulatory changes. This commitment to adaptive, future-proof planning distinguishes our practice in safeguarding generational wealth and family harmony.
Services
Estate Planning
Elder Law
Special Needs Trusts
Probate Administration
Asset Protection
Long-Term Care Planning
Medicaid Planning
Trust Creation
Will Preparation
Tax Planning
Highlights and features
- 50+ years of combined experience in estate planning law
- Documents prepared and executed within 45 days
- Fixed upfront pricing with no hidden fees
- Collaborative team approach with financial advisors
- Future-proof planning adapting to legal changes
Associations and certifications
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars
What people say
Helpful and knowledgeable
Secure legacy
Smooth process
Excellent service
Future-proof planning
Services
Estate Planning
Comprehensive estate planning services create legally sound frameworks for asset distribution, healthcare directives, and guardianship arrangements. Our attorneys develop customized strategies to minimize tax exposure, prevent family disputes, and ensure seamless wealth transfer while maintaining compliance with evolving regulations. Clients receive ongoing support for plan updates and integration with financial management strategies.
Special Needs Trusts
Specialized trust creation protects government benefit eligibility for disabled beneficiaries while providing supplemental financial support. Our plans address long-term care requirements, educational expenses, and quality-of-life enhancements through carefully structured first-party and third-party trust arrangements that maintain regulatory compliance and asset protection.
Probate Administration
Professional probate guidance streamlines estate settlement through court-mandated asset distribution processes. We assist executors with document preparation, creditor negotiations, tax filings, and beneficiary communications while ensuring adherence to Georgia probate laws and minimizing administrative delays.
Asset Protection
Customized asset protection strategies shield personal and business assets from litigation risks, creditor claims, and long-term care costs. Our legal frameworks incorporate domestic and offshore trust structures, insurance coordination, and tax-efficient transfer mechanisms to safeguard client wealth against potential threats.
Elder Law Planning
Holistic elder law services address long-term care requirements through Medicaid qualification strategies, veterans benefits optimization, and healthcare proxy arrangements. We coordinate with financial planners to develop sustainable care funding solutions that protect client assets while maintaining quality of life standards.
People
Michael H. Smith
Attorney at Law, CEO and Co-Founder
With extensive experience in estate planning and elder law, Michael H. Smith co-founded Smith Barid to provide comprehensive legal solutions for family legacy protection. He authored 'The Ultimate Gift' on living trusts and maintains active memberships in WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel professional networks.
Richard S. Barid
Attorney at Law, Co-Founder
Richard Barid brings decades of legal expertise to complex estate planning matters, holding Martindale-Hubbell AV ratings for professional excellence. His practice focuses on asset protection strategies and special needs trust creation to ensure client legacy preservation.
Meredith Lee
Paralegal
Meredith Lee provides critical support in document preparation and client education, ensuring efficient execution of estate planning instruments while maintaining meticulous attention to regulatory compliance and client-specific requirements.
Miranda Barnett
Intake Specialist
Miranda Barnett coordinates initial client consultations and case management, facilitating seamless access to legal services through personalized guidance and comprehensive needs assessment.
Ali Eaton
Client Concierge
Ali Eaton serves as primary client liaison, managing communication flow and supporting document organization to enhance client experience throughout the estate planning process.
Questions
What estate planning documents do I need?
Essential documents include wills, living trusts, healthcare directives, and powers of attorney tailored to your specific asset portfolio and family structure.
How can I protect assets from long-term care costs?
We implement Medicaid qualification strategies, irrevocable trusts, and veterans benefits planning to safeguard assets while maintaining care access.
What happens if I don't have an estate plan?
Intestate succession laws will govern asset distribution, potentially causing family disputes, tax inefficiencies, and unintended beneficiary outcomes.
How do special needs trusts work?
These trusts preserve government benefit eligibility while providing supplemental funds for non-essential care needs through carefully structured legal frameworks.
What's involved in probate administration?
The process includes will validation, asset inventory, debt settlement, tax compliance, and final distribution under court supervision to execute decedent's wishes.
Can I update my estate plan?
Yes, we provide periodic reviews and modifications to accommodate life changes, regulatory updates, and evolving financial circumstances.
Videos
