ABOUT US
LARA SASS & ASSOCIATES, PLLC is a boutique trusts and estates law firm with a strong emphasis on providing our clients with white-glove service and a holistic, bespoke approach to estate planning. We also expertly handle all aspects of trust and estate administration and probate.
Our firm designs customized estate plans, unique to each individual's family circumstances, wealth and values, that ensure that, upon our client's possible incapacity and eventual death, his or her family and loved ones will not be unnecessarily burdened by the courts, confusion or conflict. We work proactively to constantly keep our clients apprised of changes in the law, and help them to capitalize on unseen opportunities and to avoid unforeseen problems. Clients hire us to render sophisticated advice regarding how to structure their estates, minimize estate and capital gains taxes, title their assets and plan for the succession of their businesses.
Fixed Fee Arrangement
Lara Sass & Associates, PLLC charges flat fees for a majority of our estate planning services in order to encourage clients to communicate with us, and to enable clients to approve and anticipate all costs before representation even begins.
Big Firm Experience
Lara M. Sass spent many years working at the nation’s top law firms, including Katten Muchin Rosenman (formerly, Rosenman & Colin), Schulte Roth & Zabel, and Willkie, Farr & Gallagher.
White Glove Service
We are proud to provide every client with a highly personalized, concierge level of service. Lara Sass & Associates, PLLC has a strict policy of returning calls and emails from clients within 24 hours of receipt. We have a 24-hour answering service on call to ensure that a client's needs are always met in a timely manner.
Expedited and Meticulous Document Preparation
After accessing a client's needs and developing a customized estate plan, drafts of documents are meticulously prepared and produced to the client, typically, within a few weeks of our initial meeting.
Client Education
We take the time to thoroughly understand our clients' needs and objectives before formulating their estate plans, and then educate them about how their estate plans work.
Holistic Approach
Lara Sass & Associates, PLLC prefers to take a holistic approach to estate planning, often working collaboratively with the client's family and trusted advisors, including financial advisors, insurance brokers and accountants. We don't just recommend and draft documents; we advise and counsel our clients. We also take a close look at ownership and beneficiary designations, asset protection needs, insurance needs and business succession plans to ensure clients are fully protected.
Annual Estate Planning Update
Every year, we contact our clients to inform them of any changes in the law and to ensure that, as their lives, wealth and families change, their estate plans continue to meet their needs and goals.
Estate Planning Maintenance Program
We offer services to guarantee that our clients are being attentive and keeping their estate plans current, in order to ensure that their objectives continue to be met and to make life a lot less complicated for their loved ones.
Secure Digital Archive
Our Estate Planning Maintenance Program provides our clients with access to their own secure digital archive containing vital estate planning documents, information regarding their final wishes, important accounts and passwords, and more. Our clients can designate who will have access to which documents.
Trust Services
We offer peace of mind and turn-key administration to grantors and trustees with respect to often-burdensome gifting matters, including annual assessment of the gifting plan and preparation of gift funding notices, premium notices and Crummey letters.
Legacy Planning Services
For the family with complex planning issues, we offer an opportunity for an annual meeting with all of the client’s advisors, including accountants, financial advisors and insurance brokers, as well as a meeting with the family to integrate children in wealth planning and preservation.