Richard R Cruse

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Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Denver, Colorado

Estate Planning & Administration

Chamberlain Hrdlicka possesses one of the largest and most accomplished estate planning and administration groups in the South and Southwest. There is no substitute for experience, and most of our lawyers have been practicing in this field of law for more than fifteen years. Clients know they can depend on our depth of experience to help them achieve their objectives today and for generations to come.

Our expertise in tax and business issues is the perfect foundation for the estate plans we develop for individuals, families and business owners. We understand how the system works, and we know how to structure plans that take full advantage of every nuance of the tax code. Since the potential tax consequence at death can surpass 50 percent, it is worth investigating all avenues to assist a family in retaining as much wealth as the law will allow.

Honor The Past, Prepare For The Future

Knowing the law is not enough. Our estate planners work to understand your objectives in order to frame their recommendations accordingly. Every individual has a different perspective, different needs and different goals. We believe that imposing any type of “formula solution” is unfair to you and your family members. We prefer to listen first, then act on what you tell us. When we develop a plan, it fully reflects the input and directions we have acquired in our in-depth interviews. With our help, it becomes your plan.

Goals of This Generation

We bring a long-term perspective to our assignments. As we address the needs of the surviving spouse and children, we also keep an eye toward generations to come. Elements put in place today can have a profound effect on how wealth is retained and administered in the future. Our collective expertise addresses the challenges and stands the test of time. If you own a business, we take the necessary steps to ensure continuity and value for family members, shareholders, employees and customers. We ask you to establish goals and then we assist you in achieving them. The final decision always is yours — but we provide you with the information and counsel you need to confidently make good decisions.

Estate Administration Assistance To Help Families Move Ahead

The administration duties that accompany the loss of a loved one can prove burdensome, even overwhelming, to the survivors. We approach estate administration with care. We assist when and where needed, applying appropriate elements of post-mortem planning and ensuring that key deadlines and documents are handled in a timely and proper manner. We appreciate that there are hundreds of things you would rather do than focus on these responsibilities. With our assistance and follow-through, all of the responsibilities of administering an estate can fall properly into place. To us, estate administration has two parts: honor the past and prepare for the future.

A Complete Range Of Tools Wielded By Experienced Professionals

Chamberlain Hrdlicka helps you build a plan and then assists you in its implementation, using proven techniques and tools to produce the desired results. We adjust our approach to meet your needs. The degree of sophistication and complexity involved depends solely on your needs and interests.

Areas of Expertise
* Wills
* Planning for incapacity, including powers of attorney and health care declarations
* Gifting techniques and strategies
* International estate planning, including offshore trusts
* Life insurance planning
* Trust planning
* Generation-skipping planning
* Charitable giving and charitable entities
* Succession planning for business owners, including buy-sell agreements
* Family limited partnerships, limited liability companies and closely held businesses
* Marital property agreements
* Estate administration and probate
* Preparation and filing of estate, inheritance and gift and generation-skipping tax returns
* Representation in estate and gift tax audits
* Litigation relating to all aspects of trust and estate disputes

Fellow - American College of Trust & Estate Counsel

Richard R Cruse
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Martin
1200 Smith St #1400
Houston TX 77002
Tel: 713 658-2522
Fax: 713 658-2553

Practice Areas
* Estate Planning & Administration

In a career distinguished by numerous awards and accolades, Richard R. Cruse has established an active and comprehensive practice that focuses on estate planning and administration for individuals, families, executors and trustees. Mr. Cruse assists with all manner of issues including wills, guardianships, probate matters, trusts, wealth transfer transactions and tax planning strategies. He actively participates in numerous estate planning and tax associations to stay abreast of developments in his field.