Business Details
33 Years
experience
Your Trusted Estate Planning Attorneys in Arkansas
Estate Planners of Arkansas was founded in 1993 to provide comprehensive estate planning solutions. Our practice focuses on trusts, wills, probate, estate taxes, and business planning. We specialize in helping clients transfer assets efficiently while minimizing tax liabilities and avoiding probate. With over 2,000 estate plans prepared, our team combines deep legal expertise with personalized guidance. We serve clients across Arkansas, offering strategies tailored to individual needs and family legacies.Our founder, Timothy Russell, brings decades of experience in estate law, having grown the firm from a vision to assist farming families to a trusted resource for diverse clients. We prioritize transparency, client education, and long-term planning that adapts to changing laws. Our services extend to business succession planning, ensuring continuity through leadership transitions. We maintain offices in North Little Rock, serving clients statewide with professionalism and dedication.
Services
Estate Planning
Living Trusts
Probate Services
Business Succession
Tax Planning
Wills
Prenuptial Agreements
Estate Administration
Trust Management
Legal Consultation
Details
- Year established: 1993
Highlights and features
- We have prepared over 2,000 estate plans since 1993.
- Our team specializes in minimizing estate taxes through strategic planning.
- We focus on avoiding probate through living trusts and other tools.
- We serve clients statewide with personalized legal solutions.
- Our founder brings decades of experience in Arkansas estate law.
Services
Estate Planning
Our estate planning services help clients organize their affairs to ensure assets transfer smoothly to loved ones. We create customized plans using wills, trusts, and other tools to meet individual needs. Our approach prioritizes minimizing tax liabilities and avoiding probate while protecting family legacies.
Living Trusts
Living trusts allow clients to bypass probate and maintain privacy regarding asset distribution. We design revocable and irrevocable trusts tailored to specific goals, including tax reduction and asset protection for beneficiaries. Our expertise ensures compliance with Arkansas laws and long-term effectiveness.
Probate Services
We guide executors through Arkansas probate processes for estates exceeding $100,000. Our services include will validation, asset inventory, debt settlement, and distribution to beneficiaries. We streamline court requirements while ensuring adherence to legal standards and minimizing delays.
Business Succession
Our business succession planning prepares companies for leadership transitions through ownership transfer strategies and dispute resolution frameworks. We help establish timelines and contingency plans to ensure operational continuity regardless of future changes in management or ownership.
Estate Tax Planning
We implement strategies to preserve wealth through credit shelter trusts, life insurance trusts, and gifting techniques. Our planning accounts for potential tax law changes while maximizing exemptions to protect inheritances from excessive government levies.
People
Timothy Russell
Attorney, President
Timothy Russell founded Estate Planners of Arkansas in 1993 after earning his Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas. He specializes in estate law, helping farming families and businesses protect assets while minimizing tax burdens through strategic planning.
Questions
What is the difference between a will and a living trust?
A will requires probate court validation, while a living trust avoids probate entirely. Trusts maintain privacy and allow immediate asset transfer to beneficiaries without court involvement.
How can I reduce estate taxes for my heirs?
We use credit shelter trusts, life insurance trusts, and strategic gifting to maximize exemptions and minimize tax liabilities, preserving more wealth for your beneficiaries.
Why is business succession planning important?
Succession planning ensures business continuity during leadership changes by establishing clear ownership transfer processes and dispute resolution mechanisms to protect company stability.
What happens if I don't create an estate plan?
Arkansas law will determine asset distribution, potentially leaving only one-third to your spouse with the remainder going to children, regardless of your preferences.
How does a living trust help during incapacity?
A living trust designates successor trustees to manage your affairs if you become incapacitated, avoiding court-appointed guardianship while maintaining control over your assets.
