A VOICE for the VOICELESS

A commercial property owner receives a woefully inadequate settlement offer from his insurance company after the property is severely damaged by catastrophic weather.

Customers are charged excessive overdraft fees as a result of deceptive practices by their bank.

An elderly woman is swindled out of her life savings by a fraudulent gold-coin dealer. No case is too big, and no client too small, for The Voss Law Firm, which represented the plaintiffs in all three of the above cases. “People have more power than they may realize,” says Scott Hunziker, the law firm’s Head of Litigation and Lead Trial and Appellate Counsel. “But you have to have the right advocate, someone who understands the law, which is constantly evolving, and will fight for their clients’ rights.”

According to Hunziker, The Voss Law Firm has successfully done battle against the wealthiest insurance companies in the U.S. and abroad, representing everyone from individual homeowners to large condominium associations whose property has been damaged or destroyed by wind, hail, fire, flood or vandalism. Claims have ranged from $50,000 to $20 million. “We know how to turn the tables in favor of policyholders who have had their rights stripped away,” Hunziker says. The law firm has also recovered millions of dollars for consumers misled about the value of their investments, such as gold coins and other purchases. And it is currently pursuing class actions against banks that are “abusing the trust of their customers by charging excessive fees and overdraft charges that are not legitimately owed.”

The attorneys at the Voss Law Firm handle all their cases personally and will fight through trial and appeal. “We realize that no two cases are exactly the same,” Hunziker says, “and we pride ourselves in working closely with each client from the very beginning to understand the complexity and potential of each case. This helps us put the most money in the client’s pocket. Whatever the matter at hand, we will push it hard through the court system to enforce our clients’ rights and ensure they receive the recoveries they’re entitled to.”

The Voss Law Firm is based in The Woodlands, Texas, but serves an increasingly national clientele. Demand for its services continues to grow, as word of its success is spreading rapidly across the country. The firm may have succeeded beyond founder Bill Voss’ imagination, but it has never forsaken “the little guy,” Hunziker says. “We work together for people who don’t realize they have a voice. That’s what we do, and we do it well.”

26619 Interstate 45 South | The Woodlands, TX 77380 | 281-VICTORY (842-8679) | Toll Free: 866-276-6179 www.vosslawfirm.com | www.deniedclaim.com

EXCEPTIONAL ESTATE PLANNING EXPERTISE

Kennedy & Associates Offers Accessible Board-Certified Attorneys

In the current political and financial environment, where the nation’s top earners have already been targeted for additional taxation, it’s more important than ever for the wealthy to be proactive in their estate planning. Given the complexities involved, they should turn to seasoned veterans like Tom Kennedy and David Jackson for advice.

Kennedy practices full time in the area of estate planning, and he and Jackson are both board certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a designation earned by about 1 percent of attorneys in Texas. Kennedy has taught graduate-level estate planning courses at Rice University and St. Thomas University, and Jackson currently teaches estate and gift taxation at the University of Houston-Downtown. Kennedy has been interviewed by Houston-area radio and television news programs on numerous occasions related to financial and estate planning issues.

“Perhaps the best thing we offer our clients is access,” says Kennedy. “When they hire us, they can be sure either David or myself will be working for them every step of the way.

We’re the ones with the credentials, experience and knowledge. They will not get passed off to junior attorneys, which is the case at a lot of firms.”

Through the end of 2012, each person can make tax-free lifetime gifts of up to $5 million. “There are very powerful techniques to leverage this ability to transfer wealth,” says Kennedy, “but much of this ability will be lost if the gift tax exemption is not extended.”

Asset protection and business-succession planning are often overlooked in estate planning. “In today’s litigious society, protecting assets from lawsuits is especially important,” says Kennedy. “Further, business owners need to carefully consider the future of their business and the consequence of leaving the business in the hands of a spouse or child. An alternate exit strategy may be in order.”

Despite the complexities involved, the attorneys pride themselves in their ability to explain the process to their clients. “I want our clients to fully understand what they are doing,” says Jackson. “I think we do a very good job of teaching them such that they understand the benefits of various planning techniques.”

The federal estate and gift tax does not affect everyone. The firm also represents clients whose net worth is below the current estate tax threshold. According to Jackson, “Everyone’s estate is important to us, because it is important to them. We are more than willing to assist clients with any size estate.”

“There are many difficult decisions to be made when planning an estate,” says Kennedy. “We consider it our duty to guide clients through each of them, step by step.”

5851 San Felipe Street, Suite 925 • Houston, TX 77057 713-783-7444 • www.houstonestateplanning.com