Business Details
46 Years
experience
Your Trusted Arizona Estate Planning Partner
Phelps LaClair has been a trusted Arizona estate planning firm since 1980, founded by Stephen Phelps and now led by James Phelps and Jeffrey LaClair. Our exclusive focus on estate planning allows us to deliver specialized expertise in living trusts, wills, tax strategies, and trust administration. With decades of collective experience, we combine technical proficiency with personalized service, having implemented hundreds of trusts that withstand real-world challenges.Our team prioritizes long-term client relationships, offering lifetime support to ensure plans evolve with clients' needs. We emphasize education through seminars and resources, empowering clients to make informed decisions while maintaining strict compliance with legal standards. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in client testimonials praising our compassionate approach and technical mastery.
Services
Estate Planning
Living Trusts and Wills
Trust Administration
Estate Tax Planning
Special Needs Trusts
Pet Trusts
Probate Law
Power of Attorney
LLCs
IRA Inheritance Trust
Details
- Year established: 1980
Highlights and features
- We offer 40+ years of specialized estate planning experience in Arizona
- Our team implements proven trust strategies that work in real-life scenarios
- We provide lifetime client support for evolving estate planning needs
- Our attorneys are recognized leaders in trust administration and tax planning
- We combine technical expertise with compassionate, personalized service
What people say
Professional and knowledgeable
Quick and painless process
Made it affordable and easy
Amazing advice and work
Always kind and responsive
Services
Estate Planning
Our comprehensive estate planning services create legally sound frameworks to protect assets and ensure proper distribution. We help clients establish wills, trusts, and advanced directives tailored to their unique family and financial situations. Our plans address tax minimization, probate avoidance, and long-term care provisions while maintaining compliance with Arizona and federal regulations.
Living Trusts
We specialize in designing revocable living trusts that maintain privacy and avoid probate court involvement. Our trusts incorporate provisions for disability planning, beneficiary protections, and tax optimization. Each trust is customized to address specific family dynamics, including provisions for minor children, special needs beneficiaries, and complex asset distributions.
Special Needs Trusts
Our specialized trusts ensure loved ones with disabilities maintain government benefit eligibility while receiving supplemental support. We create customized plans that address lifetime care needs, medical expenses, and quality-of-life considerations. Our attorneys stay current with evolving regulations to ensure ongoing compliance and effectiveness.
Trust Administration
We guide trustees through post-death trust administration, ensuring proper asset distribution and legal compliance. Our services include asset inventory, tax filings, creditor resolution, and beneficiary communications. Our experience with hundreds of trusts enables efficient resolution of complex estate matters while minimizing family stress.
Estate Tax Planning
Our strategic planning minimizes federal and state estate tax liabilities through advanced gifting strategies and trust structures. We implement A-B trust splits, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and charitable remainder trusts to preserve wealth across generations while maintaining flexibility for changing circumstances.
People
James Phelps
Partner
Arizona native James Phelps specializes in estate planning and trust administration with 20+ years of experience. He graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University and cum laude from J. Reuben Clark Law School. A recognized speaker on estate planning, he focuses on preventing family disputes through customized trust solutions.
Jeffrey LaClair
Partner
Estate planning attorney Jeffrey LaClair holds an LLM in Taxation from NYU and specializes in complex tax and business succession planning. He graduated valedictorian from St. Thomas University School of Law and has practiced in New York, Florida, and Arizona, focusing on integrated estate and tax strategies.
Ryan Downs
Partner
Ryan Downs brings estate planning expertise from Georgia practice experience to Arizona clients. A University of Tulsa Law graduate, he focuses on proactive planning to prevent post-death conflicts. His practice emphasizes creating clear, enforceable plans that reflect clients' intentions while minimizing administrative challenges.
Leighten Hendrickson
Attorney
Leighten Hendrickson specializes in estate planning with a focus on legacy preservation. A University of Arizona graduate, she builds long-term client relationships through personalized planning approaches. Her practice emphasizes creating comprehensive plans that protect families and maintain client intent across generations.
Eddie McDonough
Attorney
Eddie McDonough transitioned from trial practice to estate planning to help families avoid future litigation. He graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law and focuses on creating clear, enforceable estate plans that minimize potential conflicts while protecting clients' intentions.
Questions
What documents are essential for Arizona estate planning?
Every comprehensive Arizona estate plan includes a revocable living trust, pour-over will, durable power of attorney, healthcare directives, and beneficiary designations. Our attorneys customize these documents to address your specific family and financial circumstances.
How can I avoid probate in Arizona?
Properly funded revocable living trusts allow your assets to transfer directly to beneficiaries without probate court involvement. We ensure all your assets are correctly titled to maximize probate avoidance while maintaining control during your lifetime.
What happens if I don't update my estate plan?
Outdated plans may fail to reflect current family dynamics, financial changes, or legal updates. Our clients receive lifetime support to ensure their plans remain current with life events and evolving tax laws.
How do special needs trusts protect government benefits?
Special Needs Trusts hold assets for disabled beneficiaries without disqualifying them from Medicaid or SSI benefits. We structure these trusts to cover supplemental needs while maintaining eligibility for essential government programs through strict compliance with complex regulations.
Can I create an estate plan without an attorney?
While DIY options exist, they often fail to address complex legal requirements and family dynamics. Our experience shows professionally drafted plans prevent future disputes and ensure your intentions are properly implemented, avoiding costly court interventions.
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