Dale B Stone

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ESTATE AND WEALTH TRANSFER PLANNING

Unless consumed, one's assets will be transferred during life or at death. This prospect has current and future interpersonal and economic consequences for the asset owner and the asset owner's family. The transfer of one's assets includes many objectives to consider: financial security of a surviving spouse, education and support of children and grandchildren, protection of the transferred assets from (domestic and other) creditors of the transferee, professional asset management, support for charitable endeavors, and minimization of income, gift and estate tax consequences of the transfer to both the transferor and the transferee.

We use simple and complex techniques to craft custom plans that address each client's situation. These plans will often include:
* Wills
* Revocable living trusts
* Irrevocable life insurance trusts
* Trusts for children and/or grandchildren
* Family limited liability companies
* Charitable remainder trusts
* Charitable lead trusts
* Private foundations
* Lifetime gifting strategies
* Intra-family sales of appreciating assets
* Prenuptial/Postnuptial Agreements

As a critical part of estate planning, our attorneys determine what title changes to assets should be made and determine what beneficiary designations for life insurance and retirement accounts are necessary to meet family and financial objectives. Further, when a family owned business is involved, the estate plan must also be coordinated with the business succession plan.

Our attorneys are skilled at helping individuals examine their unique combination of assets and circumstances to ascertain their goals and objectives for the transfer of their assets. Our estate and wealth transfer plans effectively and efficiently transfer wealth in a manner that is desirable and meets all of the needs of our clients.

PROBATE, ESTATE AND TRUST ADMINISTRATION

Our firm’s probate, estate and trust administration attorneys actively assist fiduciaries in the administration of complex decedent’s estates and trusts. We counsel individuals and corporate fiduciaries on their responsibilities as personal representative and trustee. Our practice has extensive experience in handling routine and complex probate court matters. We also assist personal representatives and trustees in managing the myriad daily responsibilities of a fiduciary, including asset collection, asset transfer and accounting.

Our collective experience allows us to efficiently anticipate and address issues at the outset of the engagement and, when appropriate, to devise favorable tax planning strategies. We also prepare estate tax returns using sophisticated tax preparation software. Additionally, we have represented many estates in federal audits of estate tax returns.

Our attorneys can assist in obtaining the appointment of a guardian and/or a conservator for loved ones who no longer are able to make appropriate healthcare or financial decisions.

Dale B Stone
Dominick Feld Hyde PC
2000 SouthBridge Pkwy #500
Birmingham AL 35209
Tel: 205 802-7575
Fax: 205 802-7550
E-mail: dstone@dfhlaw.com

Accredited Estate Planner - National Association of Estate Planners & Councils

PRACTICE AREAS
* Asset Protection Planning
* Business Succession Planning
* Estate and Wealth Transfer Planning
* Prenuptial/Postnuptial Agreements
* Probate, Estate and Trust Administration
* Taxation and IRS Audits

Counselor. Teacher. Lawyer. Dale Stone wears many hats when he assists clients in developing and implementing plans for the effective and efficient disposition of their assets. Dale has over thirty years of experience guiding clients through the personal and practical aspects of estate planning and estate administration as well as the legal, economic and tax issues involved. For owners of family businesses, Dale coordinates planning for the preservation and continuation of the business itself with the owner’s personal wealth transfer plan. Dale is designated by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils as an Accredited Estate Planner.

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers Alabama in the area of Trusts and Estates, Dale has been voted by Birmingham lawyers on multiple occasions as “Best in Estate Planning” in the Birmingham Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar” poll. Among his professional affiliations, Dale is a Fellow and current Alabama State Chair in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and is a member and past president of the Estate Planning Council of Birmingham. In addition to his active practice, Dale teaches Estate Planning at the University of Alabama School of Law and frequently addresses professional education seminars on topics related to estate planning, estate administration and wealth transfer. An adult education teacher and past Senior Warden at St. Mary’s-on-the-Highlands Episcopal Church, Dale is married to Pam and has a son, Jeff, in college.