Newport Beach Estate Planning

Protect Your Future with our Estate Planning Attorneys

James Casey’s practice encompasses all phases of estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer (“GST”) tax planning and related trust and estate administration matters, including, but not limited to the following: (i) pre-implementation financial analysis; (ii) drafting of all types of revocable and irrevocable trusts, ancillary estate planning documents (e.g., wills and powers of attorney) and closely held entity agreements; and (iii) advising clients on the various transfer tax, income tax and property tax reporting requirements triggered by such planning, the administration of such trusts, and compliance matters related to such closely held entities.

The following is a list of some of the personalized services and documents James customizes to meet his clients’ specific goals.


Revocable Estate Planning Documents
  • Revocable Trusts
  • Wills
  • Powers of Attorney
  • Advance Health Care Directives
Irrevocable Trusts
  • Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs)
  • Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs)
  • Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs)
  • Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs)


Charitable Planning
  • Private Foundations
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRATs and CRUTs) 
  • Charitable Lead Trusts (CLATs and CLUTs)
Formation of Closely Held Entities
  • Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
  • Limited Partnerships (LPs)
  • General Partnerships (GPs) 
  • Corporations (C Corps and S Corps)

Business Succession Planning
  • Recapitalization of Closely Held Entities
  • Sales to Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts (IDGTs)
  • Buy-Sell Agreements
Administration of Trusts & Estates
  • Administration of Irrevocable Trusts
  • Post-death Administration of Revocable Trusts
  • Probate Administration

Fiduciary Representation
  • General Administration Matters
  • Review of Fiduciary Accountings 
  • Court Approval of Accounts 
  • Release Agreements
Tax Compliance & Audit Matters
  • Estate Tax Return (Form 706) Preparation & Review
  • Gift Tax Return (Form 709) Preparation & Review
  • Estate & Gift Tax Audit Representation

Income Tax & Property Tax Planning
  • Income Tax Basis Planning to Limit Capital Gains Taxes
  • Utilization of Parent-Child Exclusion to Limit Property Tax Reassessment