Physician Services
Estate Planning & Trusts
for Physicians
The same risks that make physicians high earners — liability exposure, concentrated wealth, complex practice ownership — make physician-specific estate planning essential.
A physician's estate plan looks very different from a typical family plan. Beyond wills and guardianship, a doctor's plan must coordinate malpractice risk, practice ownership restrictions, deferred compensation, disability scenarios, and often significant real estate and ancillary investments. We design integrated plans that protect the practice, preserve wealth across generations, and reflect each physician's personal priorities.
What We Deliver
Core Estate Plan
The foundation — done right, with physician-appropriate provisions built in.
- Revocable Living Trust funded during your lifetime
- Pour-over will and guardianship designations
- Durable financial power of attorney
- Medical directive and HIPAA release
Asset Protection Trusts
Physicians face career-long malpractice exposure. Irrevocable trusts create meaningful protection when designed properly.
- Domestic Asset Protection Trust strategies
- Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs)
- Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs)
- Offshore structures for qualifying clients
Practice & Business Integration
Your practice and real estate holdings must be reflected in the plan — and in the buy-sell.
- Mandatory buyout on death coordinated with ILIT
- Real-estate LLC ownership in trust
- Medicaid-ineligible heir protections
- Retirement plan and deferred comp beneficiary design
Tax & Legacy Planning
For physicians with significant wealth, federal estate-tax planning is a multi-million-dollar decision.
- Lifetime gifting and GRATs
- Dynasty trusts and GST planning
- Charitable remainder and lead trusts
- Coordination with CPA and wealth advisor
Our Process
Discovery
Full inventory of practice, real estate, retirement, insurance, and personal priorities.
Design & Draft
Integrated plan reviewed with you, your CPA, and your advisor before signing.
Fund & Maintain
We move the right assets into the right trusts — and keep the plan current as your life changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions our clients ask most.
Why do physicians need estate planning different from the standard family plan?+
Physicians face concentrated wealth, ongoing malpractice exposure, restricted practice ownership rules, significant retirement and deferred-comp balances, and frequently real estate or ancillary investments. A generic plan misses each of these physician-specific issues.
Will an irrevocable trust actually protect me from malpractice claims?+
Properly designed and funded irrevocable trusts — especially Domestic Asset Protection Trusts and SLATs — can provide meaningful protection against future, non-existing claims. They are not retroactive shields and must be established well before any claim arises.
How does my medical practice pass at death?+
Texas prohibits non-physician ownership of a medical practice, so a physician's PLLC or PA interest cannot pass to a non-physician heir. A buy-sell agreement — funded by life insurance held in an ILIT — is the standard solution: the practice buys out the interest at death, and the family receives cash instead of ownership.
Do I need federal estate-tax planning?+
The federal estate-tax exemption is historically high but scheduled to decline. Physicians with estates approaching or exceeding the exemption ($13.61M in 2024, lower after scheduled sunset) should consider lifetime gifting, SLATs, and GRATs while current limits are available.
What happens to my retirement accounts at death?+
IRAs, 401(k)s, and physician-specific retirement plans pass by beneficiary designation — not by will or trust. We coordinate beneficiary designations, retirement-plan trusts, and SECURE-Act distribution planning so these assets don't accelerate taxes or miss planning opportunities.
Ready to Protect Your Future?
Take the first step toward securing your legacy. Schedule a free consultation with our experienced team or contact us today to discuss your legal needs.
Call us directly: (888) 517-4575