Protecting Families · Preserving Legacies
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Trusts, wills, powers of attorney, elder law and long term care planning, and the estate administration that follows. In her own family she has lived the other side of this work: unexpected loss, an estate with no will, the cost of long-term care. The plan exists so your family does not have to.
Practice
You have spent a lifetime building something meaningful. Beyond the physical assets like homes and bank accounts, you have built traditions, memories, and values. It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed by the thought of estate planning, but avoiding it leaves the people you love facing legal hurdles during a time of grief. Taking this step now is a profound act of love. We are here to guide you through it gently, turning an uncomfortable topic into a powerful plan for your family's peace of mind.
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The documents that decide who is in charge, when, and on what terms. Revocable, irrevocable, and asset protection trusts, wills, financial and healthcare powers of attorney, and living wills. No two families get the same plan, because estate planning is not one size fits all.
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What happens after a loved one passes away. She has managed a sizeable caseload of probate administrations across more than 20 Ohio counties, and she walks alongside families settling a loved one's estate: the filings, the institutions, the deadlines, and the decisions nobody wants to make while grieving. Guardianships and guardian administration sit here too.
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The years before are part of the plan. Planning for incapacity, the cost of care, and Medicaid qualification, so that a nursing home bill does not quietly become the estate's largest beneficiary and the people you chose stay in charge without a court proceeding.
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A trust is only as good as the hands that run it. She has helped clients establish trusts in line with their goals and then stayed on to assist the trustees administering them: the duties, the accountings, and the distributions the document actually requires.
Estate planning is not one size fits all.
In depth
Life is a beautiful journey of milestones, each bringing its own unique joys, shifts, and opportunities. As your family grows, your businesses thrive, and your retirement approaches, your needs naturally change.
Our tailored estate planning services are designed to evolve with you, providing reliable protection and complete peace of mind at every single turn. With compassionate guidance and an unwavering commitment to your future, we are here to help you navigate every new chapter with confidence, ensuring you and your loved ones are beautifully prepared for whatever comes next.
A Heartfelt Commitment to Your Legacy
We believe that estate planning is about so much more than financial logistics: it is a promise to preserve the values and memories you cherish most. This is a deeply personal journey, and we are honored to support you through every step of it.
From crafting comprehensive wills and trusts to establishing vital medical and financial directives, we combine technical legal expertise with genuine empathy. We work closely with you to make sure your choices are fully informed, your wishes are respected, and your story is told exactly the way you envision it.
Together, we will protect your family's future, giving you complete peace of mind today and leaving a lasting, meaningful impact on those you hold dear.
As our population continues to age, more and more families find themselves navigating elder law issues, whether for their own future or for aging parents and loved ones. One of the most urgent and emotionally challenging concerns is long-term or nursing home care, along with the question of how to pay for it without losing everything you have worked a lifetime to build.
Long-term care planning is the thoughtful process of arranging and structuring your assets so that you can protect some, or even most, of what you own from the overwhelming financial burden that long-term or nursing home care can create. It allows you to preserve dignity, maintain control, and safeguard your legacy while ensuring you or your loved ones receive the care needed in the years ahead.
When a loved one dies, families must navigate probate or trust administration to transfer the assets they left behind. This can feel overwhelming during a time of grief. Our firm is committed to supporting families with compassion and clarity, walking beside them through each step and easing the burden wherever possible, so the process feels as simple and pain-free as it can be.
Medicaid crisis planning becomes necessary when someone needs immediate financial relief for long-term or nursing home care, whether that care has already begun or must begin soon. Individuals who did not complete earlier pre-planning often find themselves forced into the Medicaid application process, which can feel overwhelming and confusing. Our firm guides families through each step, helping them understand the law and providing clear, dependable answers when no one else seems able to.
Without proper planning, the financial burden of care can quickly drain savings, leaving little to pass down to your family. We believe your hard-earned assets should remain with your loved ones, not consumed by nursing home expenses. Whether you are planning ahead while still in good health or facing an immediate need for Medicaid eligibility, we guide you through the process with care, helping to alleviate the financial stress associated with nursing home care, whether you need nursing home care now or believe you may need care in the future.
Writing a will is one of the most loving and protective things you can do for the people who matter most. It gives you the chance to clearly express your wishes, guide your family, and make sure your belongings are passed on exactly the way you intend.
The process begins with simply understanding what you own and who you want to receive it. From there, you choose someone you trust to carry out your instructions and settle your affairs with care. A will also lets you name guardians for minor children and outline any special gifts or personal wishes that matter to you.
Even though the idea of drafting a will can feel intimidating, it does not have to be. With clear guidance and thoughtful planning, you can create a document that brings peace of mind, knowing your loved ones will be supported, your intentions honored, and your legacy protected.
By truly listening to each client's unique circumstances, we create personalized plans that protect the assets that matter most. Our strength comes from understanding your needs and working with you to build a plan that fits your life perfectly.
With deep experience in asset protection, we identify and address the specific risks that could impact your estate. Together, we develop a strong, thoughtful strategy designed to safeguard you for years to come. And once your plan is in place, we stay by your side, keeping it compliant, effective, and updated as your financial situation evolves and laws change.
While you are healthy, you can make your own decisions. But if illness or incapacity takes that ability away, many assume a spouse or family member can automatically step in. That is not true for anyone 18 or older. Proper legal documents are essential, and if drafted incorrectly, they can create serious unintended consequences.
The situation may require a guardianship to be established. We can help you navigate this complex and confusing path along the way to guardianship.
Without proper planning, the financial burden of care can quickly drain savings, leaving little to pass down to your family. We believe your hard-earned assets should remain with your loved ones, not consumed by nursing home expenses. Whether you are planning ahead while still in good health or facing an immediate need for Medicaid eligibility, we guide you through the process with care, helping to alleviate the financial stress associated with nursing home care, whether you need nursing home care now or believe you may need care in the future.
If you are passionate about a cause or organization, charitable giving can be a powerful way to extend that passion beyond your lifetime. Whether through gifts of cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other assets, you have many options for supporting what matters most to you. Thoughtful charitable planning weaves your philanthropic goals into your estate plan, creating a legacy that continues to uplift the people, organizations, and missions you care about, even long after you are gone.
We assist in charitable giving and the establishment and operation of private and publicly supported charitable organizations. Our firm provides gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning.
Finding the right attorney means asking important questions, such as:
Ohio
Ohio repealed its estate tax for deaths on or after January 1, 2013, and imposes no inheritance tax. So for most families the plan is not a tax document. It is a control document, and control is where these things actually break.
A trust governs only what has been retitled into it: signing the binder is the halfway point. Retirement accounts and life insurance pass by beneficiary designation, not by your will, so a form from two decades ago beats the trust you signed last year. And whatever falls to probate becomes a public court file, county by county, on the court's timeline rather than your family's.
Drafting an estate plan and administering one are usually two different jobs. Here they are the same desk. Csilla Smith spends her working weeks in Ohio's county probate courts administering estates, which changes how the documents get written in the first place: a plan is only as good as the day it is finally used, and administration is where she has spent her career watching that day arrive.
Where this practice comes from
20+ counties
Ohio probate courts where she has administered estates
Probate in Ohio runs county by county, each court with its own judges, its own forms, and its own habits. Csilla Smith has managed a sizeable caseload of probate administrations in more than 20 of Ohio's 88 counties. Probate court is where every estate plan is finally judged.
That courtroom is the standard her documents are drafted to.
Your consultation
Every legal matter begins with a personal story. Whether you are planning for the future, protecting your nest egg, honoring a loved one, or preparing for a real estate closing, our team is here to listen and help you understand what comes next.
A conversation, not a pitch. Bring your spouse if you have one, since half of what gets decided is easier to decide together. Nothing is signed, nothing is owed.
You may receive a short questionnaire about what you own: the house, the accounts, the property elsewhere, the child who needs more help than the others. It means the hour is spent on decisions, not inventory. Roughly an hour, by video, by phone, or in person.
Including the answer nobody is incentivized to give you: sometimes a will and clean beneficiary designations are enough, and a trust would be an expensive way to solve a problem you do not have.
If there is work to do, you get the number before anything begins, with what is included and how long it takes. No hourly meter running on your estate plan, and no surprise invoice at the end.
Ready to talk it through?
We are here to talk openly about what matters most to you. With care and guidance, we will design a plan that keeps your family safe, honors your wishes, and preserves your lasting legacy.
References
I was told by others I needed a trust. After talking with Csilla, she showed me other strategies that would satisfy my objectives and saved me thousands of dollars.
She actually sold us what we needed and not what she could make the most money. Gold star.
Csilla actually saved me thousands by not selling me what I thought I needed.
We were taken back when we met Csilla. She genuinely takes interest in and cares about our circumstances.
Knowledgeable, authentic and honest. Now that is a combination you do not see often. Thank you for helping us through some tough times.
Thank you for getting me through a tough time for me. Your guidance and calm demeanor were a blessing for me.
Client statements shared by the firm. Every situation is different, and individual results depend on individual circumstances.
About
Csilla Smith did not learn this work from a textbook. In her own immediate family she has lived through the unexpected loss of loved ones, the administration of an estate that had no will, and the long-term care years that planning is supposed to prepare for. That is why her practice treats an estate plan as something a family will one day have to use, not a binder to file away.
She was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1988, holds her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and took two degrees from The Ohio State University, where she also fenced foil for four years on the varsity team. Along the way she has worked in real estate and employee benefits, which is exactly the property and paperwork an estate plan has to get right.
She enjoys getting to know clients first and advising them on their specific and unique circumstances, because no two families arrive with the same situation. Being a Distinguished Toastmaster, the highest award Toastmasters International gives, confirms her understanding of listening well to your needs, recommending the proper solution, and explaining complex legalese simply and with clarity.
Away from the office she roots for OSU football, mentors young adults, leads women's groups, and makes time for mission trips, hiking, dogs, and travel. She is married, has lived in Broadview Heights since 1994, and has four adult children and two grandchildren. She is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association's Estate Planning, Trust and Probate section and its Elder and Special Needs section, and of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.
Csilla is admitted in Ohio and takes Ohio clients only. Her probate and administration work has reached courts in more than 20 Ohio counties, and property in another state is handled with local counsel there while the Ohio plan is built here.
Consultations happen by video, by telephone, or in person at your home or a convenient location, whichever suits you. Estate planning is done on a flat fee, quoted in writing before anything starts. Consultations are available in English or Hungarian.
Existing plans are welcome: bring the binder. Plans written ten or more years ago usually contain at least one thing that no longer works.
Questions
Not necessarily. If your assets are straightforward and your beneficiary designations are current, a will and some cleanup may be all you need, and you will be told that. A trust starts earning its keep when there is real estate to keep out of probate, property in more than one state, a blended family, a beneficiary who should not receive money outright, or a strong preference that none of it become a public court record.
Estate planning is handled on a flat fee, quoted in writing before any work begins. You will know the number and what it includes before you decide anything.
Bring it. This is one of the most common reasons people call, and a review is usually quick. The recurring findings: a trust that was signed but never funded, a successor trustee who has since died or moved away, and beneficiary forms never updated after a divorce or a remarriage. A plan left untouched for a decade almost always contains at least one of them.
The state of Ohio decides for you. Die without a plan and state intestacy law determines who receives what you own, on the court's schedule. Become unable to manage your affairs first, and taking over can require a probate court guardianship rather than a quiet handover to someone you chose. Csilla has seen exactly this up close, in the courtroom and in her own family. It is the outcome her practice exists to prevent.
No. Csilla is admitted in Ohio and takes Ohio clients only. If you own property in another state, that piece is handled with local counsel there while the Ohio plan is built here.
By video or by telephone, whichever you prefer, so where you live in Ohio is rarely the constraint. In-person meetings are available in the Cleveland area. Consultations can be held in English or Hungarian.
Opening up to your loved ones about the future can feel daunting, but it does not have to be. Here are a few ways to approach the conversation with warmth, intention, and purpose.
It is never too early, but someday might be too late. Whether you are starting from scratch or updating an old plan, having these open conversations now gives your family comfort and confidence. You are doing more than protecting your assets, you are protecting your family's story. We believe the “what” is important to protect. We also believe the “how” is even more important, because it leaves your legacy of loving well.
At Heritage Law, we help families build estate plans that reflect their true values and safeguard everything they have worked to build. When you are ready to start the conversation, we are here to walk with you every step of the way.
Contact
While any conversation requires speaking and listening, ours has a deeply personal purpose. We are here to talk openly about life's biggest priorities and values. By guiding you through these important decisions with care, we help you design an estate plan that ensures your family is safe, your wishes are honored, and your legacy shines brightly.
Payments
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Please do not send account or card details by email or through the contact form above.
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