Estate Planning

Murphy and Kilpatrick, P.A. serves clients across South Carolina with complex estate planning and administration needs.  We are dedicated to collaborating with our clients in creating both pre-death and post-death planning and devising a practical estate plan.  We assist clients in all matters related to preparing clients and their loved ones for the ends of their lives, including the following:

• Wills
• Trusts (Revocable, Irrevocable, Special Needs)
• Estate planning strategies
• Probate, estate and trust administration
• Estate and Gift Taxation
• Transfers of personal or business assets (real estate, stocks, other business interest)
• Business succession planning
• Powers of attorney and advanced healthcare directives
• Prenuptial and marital agreements
• Private foundations and charitable giving techniques
• Generation-skipping tax planning

We strive to help each client create the most effective and efficient estate plan possible with an emphasis on avoiding costly probate litigation and reducing estate taxes to the lowest amount possible.

We also offer assistance to those currently serving in a fiduciary capacity such as Personal Representative, Trustee, Guardian, conservator, or Agent under a Power of Attorney who require assistance with tax issues, administrative issues, or avoiding potential litigation.  We provide legal representation in South Carolina for the appointment of personal representatives, appointment of conservators for incapacitated adults and minors, appointment of guardians for incapacitated adults, assistance with probate administration, probate litigation, and probate mediation.

In addition, we can assist you with disputes arising upon death before the South Carolina Probate Courts in the following areas:

• Heirs’ claims
• Will contests
• Elective share and omitted spouse rights
• Enforcing prenuptial agreements
• Challenges to conduct of fiduciaries

Our knowledge and experience in all matters related to estate planning, estate administration and probate matters will help you navigate this complex process while keeping your needs and concerns at the forefront of the process. (Do you know the definition of intestate?)