Experience Driven. Forward Thinking.

Melissa Hoogendoorn De Vries’ practice focuses on estate planning, estate administration, special needs planning, elder law, tax planning and preparation, charitable planning and advising charitable organizations.

Melissa maintains a diverse client base of individuals and couples with all levels of estate planning needs. From clients requiring sophisticated tax and trust planning to clients needing more basic planning, Melissa works closely with them to determine their goals and then tailor a plan accordingly. An appropriate plan may include a combination of wills, revocable trusts and powers of attorney. Additionally, Melissa explores the need for irrevocable insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, private land trusts for vacation home management, and other types of structures, as well as lifetime gifting arrangements. She also counsels clients on premarital agreements and planning for joint and separate property.

Melissa has represented both donors and charitable organizations in complex gift planning matters. Her perspective from both sides helps her clients better accomplish their charitable planning goals.

With significant experience in the estate planning and administration world, Melissa is regularly invited to speak about estate planning to groups of investment professionals, affinity networks, community and faith-based groups, and in other public settings. She has appeared in and on the radio offering commentary on tax changes and planning ideas. Her goal in these speeches, as well as in her meetings with clients, is to introduce the concept of estate planning, stress its importance in leaving a legacy, and to make the planning process as comfortable as possible.