Trusts, Estates and Taxation

The Kane Kessler Trust, Estate and Taxation practice group is a key component to the firm because it services our clients from every other practice group. Many of our clients are family businesses and the longevity of a family business can only be maintained with a business succession plan that incorporates tax effective strategies and a transfer of control that will allow the company to grow for the future generations, while allowing the entire family to share in the success of the family business. Headed by Michael A. Zimmerman and his son Marc, the Trust, Estate and Taxation practice emphasizes a family approach to our estate plans and we assist our clients with identifying the needs of their respective family in order to put together a unique plan that will achieve their personal succession goals.

We have experience in the Trust and Estate practice representing clients in the following matters:

• Sophisticated Estate Planning such GRATS, QPRTS and Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts
• Surrogate’s Court practice including probate, administration and litigation
• Counsel to cooperative apartment corporations and condominium boards through the sale of Estate cooperative and condominium apartments
• Preparation and filing of Estate Tax Returns and Gift Tax Returns
• Representation of Estates in Federal, New York State and New Jersey Estate Tax Audits
• Offshore Asset Protection Planning
• Counsel to private foundations and not for profit entities, including the formation of IRS Section 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundations and the respective tax return filings

Our Tax Attorneys both have Masters of law in Taxation and one of them has worked as a tax and trial attorney for the Internal Revenue Service, Chief Counsel’s Office, and both attorneys  currently represent clients before the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

We have experience in the Taxation practice representing clients in the following matters:

• Federal and New York State Tax Audits and tax litigation including income tax, estate tax, sales tax and commercial rent tax matters
• Offshore and Domestic Voluntary Disclosure Programs
• Corporate and International Tax Planning
• Settling of Tax Debts through the Federal and New York State Offer In Compromise Programs
• Representation of individuals and corporations before the United States Tax Court
• Employee Stock Option Plan (“ESOP”) transactions in which business owners sell their closely-held business interests to an ESOP to allow them to obtain liquidity for their closely-held stock, partnership or LLC interests
• Representing foreign individuals and citizens engaged in United States businesses