Business Details
30 Years
experience
Trusted Estate Planning & Probate Services in Addison, TX
Wolfish & Newman, P.C. is a boutique estate planning law firm dedicated to helping clients create and implement comprehensive estate plans. Founded in 1996, we specialize in guiding families through the complexities of estate, gift, and tax planning while prioritizing client goals and family needs. Our attorneys combine decades of experience with a personalized approach to address unique financial, business, and personal circumstances. We collaborate closely with clients and their advisors to develop strategies that minimize taxes, protect assets, and ensure seamless succession planning. Our practice includes advanced techniques like irrevocable trusts, charitable giving vehicles, and probate administration for complex estates.With a focus on multi-generational planning, we help clients transfer wealth while preserving family values and intentions. Our team maintains active involvement in professional organizations and community foundations, reinforcing our commitment to excellence. Recognized by peer-reviewed directories and legal publications, we uphold rigorous standards of expertise and client service. We prioritize transparency, listening carefully to client objectives before recommending tailored solutions. From initial consultations to document execution, our process emphasizes education, clarity, and long-term peace of mind for families across North Texas.
Services
Estate Planning
Probate Administration
Tax Planning
Trust Administration
Business Succession Planning
Details
- Year established: 1996
Highlights and features
- Specialized expertise in estate planning and probate law since 1996
- Board-certified attorneys with dual legal and accounting credentials
- Personalized approach tailored to complex family and business needs
- Proven strategies for multi-generational wealth transfer and tax minimization
- Active involvement in professional estate planning councils and community foundations
Associations and certifications
- Texas State Bar Board of Legal Specialization
- Certified Public Accountant
- Best Lawyers in America
- Texas Super Lawyers
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating
Services
Estate Planning
We create customized estate plans that protect assets and ensure your wishes are honored. Our attorneys develop strategies for tax-efficient wealth transfer while addressing family dynamics and business interests. Services include wills, trusts, and incapacity planning for individuals and families across North Texas.
Probate Administration
Our firm guides executors through probate processes for complex estates. We handle asset inventory, debt settlement, tax filings, and distribution while minimizing delays. This includes representation in contested probate matters and administration of large, multi-jurisdictional estates requiring specialized expertise.
Tax Planning
We implement advanced strategies to minimize federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping taxes. Services include GRATs, SLATs, and charitable remainder trusts. Our CPAs collaborate with attorneys to optimize tax outcomes while aligning with clients' long-term financial objectives and family legacy goals.
Trust Administration
We assist trustees with post-mortem trust administration, including asset retitling, beneficiary communications, and tax compliance. Our services cover revocable living trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and special needs trusts, ensuring proper implementation of grantor intentions while minimizing fiduciary liability.
Business Succession
We develop succession plans for closely held businesses to ensure smooth ownership transfers. Our strategies address valuation, buy-sell agreements, and tax-efficient exit strategies while protecting family interests and maintaining business continuity across generations.
People
Lawrence M. Wolfish
Shareholder & Estate Planning Attorney
Board-certified estate planning attorney and CPA with 40+ years experience. Recognized in Best Lawyers in America since 2010 and Texas Super Lawyers since 2005. Holds AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Active in Dallas community foundations and estate planning councils.
Meghan R. Tabor
Shareholder & Estate Planning Attorney
Estate planning attorney specializing in complex tax strategies and trust administration. Graduated magna cum laude from University of Virginia School of Law. Member of Texas Bar College and Dallas Bar Association's Probate Section. Dallas native with local community involvement.
Questions
What estate planning documents do I need?
Essential documents include a will, revocable living trust, financial power of attorney, and medical directives. We customize these based on your assets, family structure, and tax situation during our initial consultation.
How does probate work in Texas?
Texas probate involves validating wills, appointing executors, inventorying assets, settling debts, and distributing estates. Our attorneys streamline this process for complex estates while addressing potential disputes and tax implications.
Can I reduce estate taxes through trusts?
Yes, we implement GRATs, SLATs, and charitable trusts to minimize transfer taxes. Our CPAs and attorneys collaborate to create structures that preserve wealth while meeting IRS requirements for tax-efficient gifting and succession.
How do you handle business succession planning?
We create tailored succession plans addressing ownership transfer, key employee retention, and tax-efficient exit strategies. This includes buy-sell agreements, valuation planning, and trust structures for smooth generational transitions.
What's the difference between probate and trust administration?
Probate is court-supervised estate settlement for assets without beneficiary designations. Trust administration handles assets held in trusts without court involvement. We assist with both processes while minimizing delays and costs.
