Elizabeth W. Abel
The primary focus of Ms. Abel's practice is estate planning. She regularly consults with individual clients on ways to reduce or eliminate estate taxes and prepares complex wills, testamentary trusts, revocable living trusts, life-insurance trusts, charitable gifts and trusts, and other agreements to enable these clients in meeting their estate-planning goals. In addition, Ms. Abel prepares durable powers of attorney, advance directives for health care, and documents for the appointment of guardians and conservators. Ms. Abel assists clients in probating estates and administering trusts.
Ms. Abel also assists clients with the formation and operation of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and other business organizations. Ms. Abel advises and assists clients in organizing charitable trusts, endowments, and non-profit corporations, and obtaining tax-exempt status for those organizations.
On behalf of business clients, Ms. Abel structures and prepares a variety of employee-benefit plans, including cafeteria plans, 401(k) plans, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and profit-sharing and money-purchase retirement plans. Ms. Abel also advises nonprofit and governmental clients on the operation and administration of their 403(b) retirement plans, tax-sheltered annuities, and other employee-benefit programs.
Assistant Contact Information: Delores Francois
Court Admissions
- United States Tax Court
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama
- All Alabama State Courts
Attorney Bio
Education
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LL.M., Taxation, 1985, New York University, New York, NY
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J.D., magna cum laude, 1984, Cumberland School of Law, Birmingham, AL
- B.A., summa cum laude, 1981, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Alabama, 1984
- U.S. Tax Court, 1987
professional affiliations
- American Bar Association
Probate and Trusts, Business, and Tax Sections - Alabama Bar Association
- Huntsville-Madison County Bar Association
- Financial and Estate Planning Council of Huntsville, Alabama
community involvement
- Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville
- Trinity United Methodist Church
- Crestwood Women’s Advisory Council
- Huntsville Youth Orchestra Association
- Treasurer, Delta Zeta Sorority, Huntsville Alumnae Chapter
Other experience
- Ms. Abel frequently lectures on estate planning issues, including the effect of estate and gift taxes on an estate plan and the uses of wills, powers of attorney, advance directives for health care, and living and testamentary trusts to achieve estate-planning goals.
