Agricultural Law
Mette, Evans & Woodside’s Agricultural Law practice encompasses a wide range of legal services suited to meet the needs of clients ranging from traditional family farms to business enterprises providing support services and products to the ag community. Our clients represent all aspects of agriculture across Pennsylvania, from livestock and crop farms to Christmas tree operators and crop input suppliers.
Our familiarity with the farm industry . . . its typical high capital-low income economic model . . . allows us to better appreciate the challenges our clients encounter. Similarly, our decades of experience with agricultural clients allow us to advise on the complexities of operating a profitable business within a family context. Finally, resulting from the somewhat unique characteristics of the agricultural industry, many laws, especially tax laws, have provisions or exemptions that apply to farm operators. At Mette, our ag clients can count on their Agricultural Law attorneys applying these ag exemptions for their client’s benefit.
While farm succession and estate planning are the foundations of our Agricultural Law practice, Pennsylvania’s ag industry faces an assortment of legal issues in the day-to-day operation of its farms. We have represented ag clients at one time or another in a broad array of legal subjects affecting agricultural businesses, a representative list of which follows:
Our Agricultural Law Practice provides counsel on:
- Family Farm Succession/Estate Planning
- Farm Transfers
- Estate Settlements
- LLC And Other Entity Formation And Operation
- Tax Issues
- Elder Law Advice
- Environmental
- Oil/Gas/Mineral Issues/Planning
- 1031 Exchanges
- Employment
- Farmland Preservation
- Clean And Green Appeals
- Litigation
- Nuisance Complaints
- Personal Injury
- Crop Insurance Disputes
- Agricultural Land Condemnation
- Financial Distress/Bankruptcy
Estates & Trusts
Real life can be complicated. The attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside recognize that each family’s estate plan must be tailored to meet their unique needs. Our attorneys take the time to understand our clients’ circumstances and using estate planning tools, carefully design a plan that will long term help maximize asset protection and minimize tax obligations.
We can address any number of legal issues pertaining to your estate or trust including succession planning, wills and living wills, power of attorney, charitable and educational trusts. Our attorneys also have extensive backgrounds in tax matters and can create trusts and plans that take into consideration tax implications.
- Estate And Succession Planning
- Elder Law
- Wills and Living Wills
- Power of Attorney
- Irrevocable & Revocable Trusts
- Limited Partnerships
- Charitable and Educational Trust
Planning for Children & Older Adults
During the estate planning process there can be a number of legal issues that can impact both children and older adults. The attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside are fully equipped to provide legal services to establish guardianship, Medicaid or long-term care planning, as well as special needs planning.
- Guardianship for Minor Children
- Revocable & Irrevocable Trusts
- Funding Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Special Needs Planning
- Trusts for Minors
- Elder Law and Medicaid Planning
Long Term Care Planning
An issue that arises for older adults is Medicaid and long-term care. The attorneys at Mette, Evans and Woodside can assist seniors and their families with long-term care planning, including whether Medicaid eligibility may be an option.
Guardianship
Establishing a guardianship may be necessary for either children or an adult family member. Family members can petition the court to name a guardian in situations where an adult is not capable of making decisions or when a child with disabilities reaches adulthood. Whether permanent or temporary it establishes an individual who is given the legal authority to act on behalf of another person. Guardians are responsible for day-to-day living issues, expenses and health care.
Special Needs Trusts
When caring for someone with special needs it can be disconcerting to consider how they will be taken care of when you are no longer able to. Establishing a special needs trust can relieve that burden of worry. The attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside can assist with setting up a special needs trust that allows for government benefit eligibility to be preserved, while providing assets to meet the financial needs of the trustee.
Estates & Trusts Attorneys
Taxation
Interpreting U.S. tax law requires a high level of expertise and an in-depth understanding of long-term implications. The Taxation attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside have handled complicated tax issues for commercial business enterprises, individuals, non-profits and charitable organizations, providing experienced solutions and extensive knowledge of a broad range of taxes.
Much like business law, estate law brings forth a host of complicated issues. The attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside can guide you through all aspects of estate planning from the drafting of wills and trust agreements to establishing charitable and educational trusts. We work closely with our Estates and Trusts practice area to maximize your results.
Minimizing And Eliminating Tax Liability • Pursuing Tax Refunds • Obtaining Rulings On Proposed Transactions • Representation Before Administrative Agencies And Courts • Counsel On Audits And Assessment Appeals • Drafting Of Wills, Trust Agreements, Estate Documents • Establishing Charitable Trusts