Business Details
Estate Planning & Probate Services in Bethesda, MD
Handler & Levine, LLC has built a reputation on trust and common sense in estate planning, probate, and trust administration. With decades of combined experience, our attorneys prioritize personalized service, ensuring clients' unique needs are met through tailored estate plans that address tax efficiency, asset protection, and family dynamics. We specialize in serving individuals, families, and federal employees across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., offering expertise in revocable trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and probate administration.Our approach emphasizes clarity, transparency, and practical solutions, ensuring clients understand the impact of their estate plans on their lives and loved ones. We are committed to guiding fiduciaries through complex trust and estate administrations, providing tax-savvy strategies and litigation support when necessary. Our team's deep familiarity with federal employee benefits and pre-retirement planning further distinguishes our practice in the region.
Services
Estate Planning
Probate Administration
Trust Administration
Federal Employee Services
Revocable Living Trusts
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
Incapacity Planning
Tax Planning
Postmortem Planning
Fiduciary Representation
Highlights and features
- We offer decades of specialized experience in estate planning and probate law
- Our team provides personalized service with a focus on trust and transparency
- We combine technical expertise with practical, common-sense solutions
- Specialized knowledge of federal employee retirement and benefits planning
- Comprehensive support for complex estate and trust administration matters
Services
Estate Planning
Our estate planning services create customized strategies for asset distribution, tax efficiency, and family protection. We design wills, revocable trusts, and irrevocable trusts tailored to individual circumstances, including special needs planning and blended family considerations. Our approach ensures seamless wealth transfer while minimizing administrative burdens for beneficiaries.
Probate Administration
We guide executors through Maryland, Virginia, and DC probate processes with expertise in asset marshaling, debt settlement, and tax compliance. Our team facilitates modified probate proceedings and estate tax return preparation, ensuring efficient administration of both testate and intestate estates while protecting fiduciaries from personal liability.
Trust Administration
Our trust administration practice handles post-death revocable trust management and irrevocable trust oversight. We assist trustees with asset re-titling, beneficiary communications, and tax reporting, providing litigation support when disputes arise. We specialize in complex trust structures requiring multi-generational planning and tax optimization.
Federal Employee Services
We offer specialized estate planning for federal employees, incorporating retirement benefits like FERS and CSRS. Our attorneys address unique considerations for government workers, including security clearance requirements and overseas assignments, through tailored seminars and one-on-one consultations across the DC metro area.
Incapacity Planning
Our incapacity planning services create comprehensive frameworks for healthcare decision-making and financial management during disability. We draft durable powers of attorney, advance medical directives, and revocable living trusts that maintain client autonomy while establishing clear succession protocols for asset management.
People
Marc S. Levine
Managing Partner
Practicing since 1992, Marc specializes in estate planning and federal employee services. He focuses on tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies and serves as a trusted advisor for families and fiduciaries in complex estate matters.
Lacey D. Yegen
Partner
With expertise in estate planning and probate, Lacey assists clients with trust administration and postmortem planning. Her practice emphasizes practical solutions for families navigating complex inheritance scenarios and fiduciary responsibilities.
Lorryn D. Logan
Associate
A 25-year veteran in estate law, Lorryn handles trust administration and incapacity planning. She provides strategic guidance on asset protection and serves as a key resource for clients navigating probate processes in multiple jurisdictions.
Marvin L. Szymkowicz
Of Counsel
With over 40 years' experience, Marvin specializes in estate tax reduction and trust administration. He advises fiduciaries on complex estate matters and represents clients in contested probate proceedings, offering seasoned perspective on estate litigation.
Questions
What estate planning documents do I need?
Essential documents include wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, and advance medical directives. Our attorneys customize these tools to match your asset structure, family dynamics, and tax considerations.
How does probate work in Maryland?
Maryland requires executor appointment, asset inventory, debt settlement, and court filings. We help navigate standard and modified probate processes, ensuring compliance with state-specific requirements for estate administration.
Can I update my existing estate plan?
Yes, we review and revise outdated plans to reflect life changes, tax law updates, and evolving family circumstances. Our team ensures your documents maintain legal validity and practical effectiveness.
Do federal employees need special estate planning?
Yes, federal workers require tailored strategies addressing unique benefits like FERS pensions and Thrift Savings Plans. Our seminars and consultations address these specialized planning needs for government employees.
How are trusts administered after death?
Trust administration involves asset collection, tax filings, and distribution according to trust terms. We guide trustees through these steps, handling creditor claims, beneficiary communications, and tax compliance requirements.
