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ABOUT US
For nearly 30 years, Karin Foster, Esq. has given comprehensive and easy to understand counsel to families and small businesses in need.
As a single mom, a daughter, small business owner and lastly, an attorney, Karin understands the planning concerns and stressors when caring for children and elderly parents while supporting a business. As the mother of two wonderful young adults, Karin is excited and grateful for the opportunity to help them through their life milestones and like any parent, will do everything to protect them and provide for them. Protecting those we love and helping our clients do the same is the foundational philosophy of our business, advocacy and educational efforts.
At Treveri Law, we help our clients achieve their life goals by getting and staying completely organized and clear in their estate planning intentions. Through our sister company, the Mindful Legacy Institute, we provide educational opportunities to families during the complete estate planning cycle such during document formation and after a triggering event. We will mediate conflicts involving siblings and families before and after engaging attorneys to litigate Probate and Trust matters.
How we are different at the Treveri Law, PC
During the traditional estate planning experience, you’ll meet with a lawyer who will often make things seem very complicated and confusing. Because you want to do the right thing for your family, you’ll have the lawyer prepare documents, sign them and then you'll take your fancy planning binder home, stick it on a shelf or in a drawer, and never think about it again. And, unless you call the lawyer and pony up some money, you wont get any more advice on your estate plans.
At least that was my father's experience with his estate planning lawyer back in Massachusetts. My Dad was an MIT professor and Research Scientist at Lincoln Labs, one of the National Labs. He was a very intelligent and educated man, but he felt overwhelmed with the thought of dying and leaving his kids, so he did what he thought was right and signed some forms. But did he understand what having an "estate plan" meant and how to 'move assets' into the numerous (and unnecessary) trusts? No.
And he didn't do anything with it for 27 years - until I reviewed his estate planning documents. Thank goodness my father had not died then. None of my father's assets would have been in the trust. My family would have had to go through probate and we would have had to pay significant taxes - all because the trust was not correctly funded. In fact, even my ex-husband was still named as a beneficiary to my share of the inheritance! When I asked him about it, Dad said, he thought the lawyer had done it - after all he had paid over $7500 in 1990 to do the documents. Dad also said he was sick and tired of getting a bill every time he called his lawyer, so he stopped calling. Out of curiosity, I had my dad call the lawyer to ask for an update of the documents. As expected, the lawyer said that because the documents were so out of date that my father would have to 'basically start over' and pay nearly $15,000 this time. Why didn't the lawyer properly fund all these trusts? Or keep my Dad informed on the changes in the law and adjust to plan to account for changes in our family? Why weren't regular updates done?
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Fortunately I was able to sit down with my parents to get their planning updated - including nominating their Power of Attorney in case of their incapacity. Who would have known that just a short six months later, Dad would be diagnosed with brain cancer leaving my Mom overwhelmed and unable to make those important decisions?
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So who am I? and Why Estate Planning?
Maybe because I am a former prosecutor, or because of my own personal ethics, but I think what that lawyer did to my Dad is without morals, unprincipled and unethical. When I started this firm, I promised myself that I would always work to "pay-it forward' knowing that building relationships, trust and working hard are the only ways to not only have a thriving successful practice and personal gratification.
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After two decades of prosecuting and litigating, I wanted a change and in 2015, I found my niche. I love to establish plans related to temporary passages of power due to incapacity and final passing of financial, intellectual and human assets to the next generation. The practice of estate planning gives me the opportunity to be the lawyer who is a trusted advisor and advocate for families (who may be dysfunctional), small business owners and singles like me, who may be sandwiched between caring for young adults and elderly parents - sometimes with special needs. Through our Family Summits program, our goal is to have the family understand what plans have been developed so that when a triggering event happens, everyone is aware of their appointed roles. If one of the kids starts having concerns, we can also work with our sister company, Mindful Mediation Institute where Family Mediation services are available so that before someone hires an attorney, the family can come to the table for a facilitated conversation. Unfortunately, once the litigation attorneys are involved their only interest is defending their client's position which ends up running up the bills. If the client's case is found to be frivolous, the client may be disinherited. Conflict based on sibling rivalries, misgivings and suspicions never builds family trust or lasting legacies. At Treveri Law, I strive to provide comprehensive services to our clients in the estate planning arena that I don't believe are offered anywhere else.
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Thank you for taking the time to learn about me. I invite you to continue looking at my website to learn more about the exciting and unique business model I use to provide world-class estate planning service to my clients. In the meantime, my door is always open. If you have a question or want to learn more about estate planning, give me a call at 505-808-0234 anytime. I look forward to hearing from you soon!
In loving memory.
To a life well lived.
We miss you every day Dad!
