Business Details
16 Years
experience
Your Trusted Legal Partner in Estate Planning & Trust Administration
Schooley Law Firm specializes in comprehensive estate planning, trust administration, and business law services. With decades of collective experience, our attorneys provide tailored legal solutions for individuals, families, and high-net-worth clients. We collaborate closely with financial advisors and accountants to ensure holistic estate plans that address tax implications, asset protection, and multigenerational wealth transfer.Our practice extends to estate tax compliance, fiduciary services, and family law matters, emphasizing personalized guidance and meticulous attention to legal details. We serve clients across Richmond and surrounding Virginia regions, prioritizing client education and long-term planning strategies.
Services
Estate Planning
Estate Administration
Trust Administration
Business Law
Family Law
Details
- Year established: 2010
Highlights and features
- We offer 50+ years of combined experience in trusts and estates law
- Our holistic approach coordinates estate plans with financial advisors
- Specialized in high-net-worth individual estate planning and tax strategies
- We provide fiduciary services for estate and trust administration
- Attorneys maintain active involvement in estate tax compliance matters
Services
Estate Planning
Crafting customized estate plans that address asset distribution, tax implications, and family needs. Our attorneys create legally sound documents including wills, trusts, and advance directives. We coordinate with financial advisors to ensure comprehensive wealth transfer strategies that protect clients' legacies for future generations.
Trust Administration
Managing trust administration processes including asset titling, beneficiary communications, and tax compliance. We guide trustees through complex administrative requirements while ensuring adherence to legal standards. Our services include trust funding assistance and ongoing management of revocable and irrevocable trusts for optimal asset protection.
Estate Tax Returns
Preparing federal estate and gift tax returns with expertise in unified credit utilization and portability elections. Our team advises on tax-efficient gifting strategies and compliance deadlines. We represent clients before tax authorities and provide planning solutions to minimize estate tax liabilities for high-value estates.
Fiduciary Services
Acting as professional fiduciaries including executors, trustees, and power of attorney agents. We manage estate and trust administration with impartial decision-making focused on beneficiaries' interests. Our services include asset inventory, creditor resolution, and distribution oversight while maintaining strict adherence to fiduciary legal standards.
Family Law
Addressing premarital and postnuptial agreements, divorce proceedings, and child custody arrangements. Our approach prioritizes clients' family needs while protecting financial interests. We provide strategic counsel on complex asset division matters and create legally binding agreements that address both immediate and long-term family law concerns.
People
Jennifer Schooley
Attorney
Experienced estate planning attorney with specialization in high-net-worth individual matters. Focuses on complex trust structures and multigenerational wealth transfer strategies. Active in professional legal associations and community estate planning initiatives.
Ryan Glaser
Attorney
Trust and estates lawyer with expertise in fiduciary representation and estate tax compliance. Works closely with financial advisors to coordinate comprehensive wealth management solutions. Handles complex estate administrations and probate matters across Virginia.
Kelly Strachan
Attorney
Business law specialist advising on entity formation, succession planning, and corporate governance. Combines transactional expertise with estate planning insights to create integrated solutions for business owners and family enterprises.
Kate Hennigs
Of Counsel
Senior legal advisor focusing on family law matters and premarital agreements. Provides strategic counsel on asset protection and estate planning integration for blended families and complex domestic arrangements.
Questions
What estate planning documents do I need?
Basic estate plans include wills, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. Trust-based plans add revocable living trusts and beneficiary designations. Our attorneys recommend customized combinations based on asset values and family circumstances.
How does gift tax planning work?
Annual exclusion gifts up to $17,000 per recipient avoid tax reporting. Larger gifts require IRS Form 709 filings that track lifetime exemption usage. We help clients optimize gifting strategies while preserving tax benefits.
What happens during probate administration?
Executor responsibilities include asset inventory, debt settlement, tax filings, and final distributions. Our firm guides personal representatives through Virginia's probate process while minimizing delays and administrative costs.
Can I update my existing estate plan?
Yes, we recommend plan reviews every 3-5 years or after major life events. We'll assess document validity, update beneficiary designations, and revise tax planning provisions to reflect current laws and personal circumstances.
Do you work with out-of-state clients?
While based in Richmond, we assist Virginia residents with property or family connections in other states. For multi-state matters, we collaborate with local counsel to ensure comprehensive legal coverage across jurisdictions.
