tax and trusts & estates
PDFtax planning
We regularly advise individuals, corporations and partnerships on all aspects of income tax planning, including:
- corporate acquisitions, sales, and mergers
- investments in partnership, LLCs and other business and investment entities
- tax deferred exchanges of real estate
- foreign investment in US companies, partnerships and US real estate
- complying with US international reporting requirements, including FBARs, unreported foreign bank accounts and other reportable assets
estate planning
Our attorneys have expertise in all aspects of creative estate planning, as well as the details of post-death planning and administration with special emphasis on:
- Customized gift and estate planning for high-net-worth individuals
- Representation of fiduciaries and beneficiaries in disputed estate and trust administration matters
In our estate planning practice, we prepare all documents including:
- Wills, living trusts, powers of attorney and irrevocable trusts
- Family limited partnerships and other vehicles to transfer wealth efficiently
In doing so, we pride ourselves on tailoring our estate planning services so that each client's estate plan is customized to fit that client's wealth, asset mix, family situation and planning goals.
For our clients with larger estates, we have developed planning approaches for specific assets including:
- Retirement plans, Art collections, and Copyrights (music, literary properties, etc.)
We also advise global families whose family members live in a number of different countries on coordinated global gift and estate planning with a view to preserving family wealth for future generations.
nonprofit organizations and philanthropic planning
We represent a wide range of tax-exempt organizations including public charities, private foundations, museums, hospital foundations, religious institutions, charitable trusts, trade associations, universities and schools.
We have considerable expertise in the legal and tax aspects of charitable gift planning and a national reputation for innovation and creativity in structuring current and deferred charitable gifts.
trust and estate administration
Our practice group also counsels executors, administrators, trustees, guardians and conservators in matters of estate, trust, guardianship and conservatorship administration. These matters require the necessary attention to detail throughout the administration process, ranging from identification and valuation of assets, transferring title to those assets, and making distributions to beneficiaries of estates and trusts. Since one of the principal duties of a fiduciary during post-mortem administration is compliance, we also prepare, or assist in the preparation of, estate tax returns. We also counsel the fiduciary through the estate tax (or gift tax) audit process.
trust and estate litigation
Our team of experienced trusts and estates litigation attorneys represent individuals, banks and trust companies, private professional fiduciaries, charitable organizations and educational institutions in a broad range of trust, estate, conservatorship and guardianship disputes and proceedings in probate courts throughout California.
tax planning for trusts and estates
Our tax department represents high-net-worth individuals and their closely held companies in all aspects of creative estate planning, post-death planning, trust and estate administration, and related trust and estate litigation.
tax controversy & litigation
We assist clients in a wide variety of federal, state and local tax controversies relating to income tax, estate and gift taxes, sales and use taxes, gross receipts taxes and property taxes. We represent both domestic and foreign clients in complex tax audits and examinations by the Internal Revenue Service, the California Franchise Tax Board, the California Employment Development Department, the California State Board of Equalization, and other state and Local taxing authorities. Our attorneys include a former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and an Attorney (Estate Tax) with the Internal Revenue Service.
Spotlight
You’ve worked for years to accumulate wealth. You’ve taken risks that reaped rewards. You’ve spent decades building your business. Or perhaps you’ve come into newly found wealth due to the death of a loved one. Without an appropriately thought out and well documented estate plan, your desire for how you want what you’ve amassed managed after your incapacity or upon your death can quickly fall apart or lead to disputes. Blended families, undesignated beneficiaries, irresponsible siblings, unscrupulous caregivers, unsigned documents, former spouses listed as life insurance or retirement plan beneficiaries . . . the list of nightmare stories starts with any of these scenarios.
Sophisticated tax and estate planning requires a blend of thoughtfulness, a thorough understanding of the complexities of the law, and an ability to anticipate unforeseen life scenarios. From the largest estates with generational considerations, business succession planning dependencies, and complex assets, to the issues facing young families, prudently managing tax burdens and ownership rights is accomplished with an estate plan.
In addition, when individuals find themselves as either beneficiaries of an estate or fiduciaries (executors/trustees) of the estates of others they often need guidance in ensuring that they receive what they were intended to receive or, in the case of fiduciaries, that they get prudent counsel in carrying out the burden of caring for someone else’s assets. And if trouble starts, getting the timely support of an experienced team of trusts and estates litigators is crucial.
From basic issues of probate avoidance to the complexities of tax efficiencies to the legacy building actions of business and charitable planning, having a tailor-made and well thought through estate plan can ease the minds of your loved ones during difficult times. Structuring your estate is the most responsible thing you can do for those you love. With extensive expertise managing and litigating large and complicated estates over decades for some of the largest names in Southern California, MSK has developed an ability during the planning stages to anticipate the less-than obvious issues that can arise in assuring your intentions are followed.
Providing sophisticated tax advice as part of an estate plan or in connection with transactional matters for a business, MSK works diligently between its tax lawyers and estate experts to optimize the structure for any scenario. Read our blog.
Headlines
Headlines
- November 7, 2024
- The Hollywood Reporter, October 23, 2024
- August 15, 2024
- January 10, 2024
- December 29, 2023
- The Hollywood Reporter, September 20, 2023
- Chambers , August 22, 2023
- August 17, 2023
- June 4, 2023
- January 31, 2023
- January 10, 2023
- January 2, 2023
- The Hollywood Reporter, November 21, 2022
- November 2, 2022
- Business Wire, August 23, 2022
- January 20, 2022
- November 4, 2021
- August 19, 2021
- January 21, 2021
- November 2020
- August 20, 2020
- June 1, 2020
- April 21, 2020
- January 2, 2020
- August 15, 2019
- March 7, 2019
- March 7, 2019
- March 6, 2019
- February 27, 2019
- January 30, 2019
- January 16, 2019
- December 1, 2018
- November 1, 2018
- August 25, 2018
- August 15, 2018
- January 25, 2018
- December 27, 2017
- December 21, 2017
- December 19, 2017
- December 4, 2017
- November 3, 2017
- November 1, 2017
- October 6, 2017
- August 15, 2017
- June 1, 2017
- Bloomberg BNA, May 26, 2017
- Mansion Global, May 25, 2017
- BloombergBNA, February 28, 2017
- February 6, 2017
- February 2, 2017
- February 1, 2017
- January 20, 2017
- November 1, 2016
- August 22, 2016
- August 10, 2016
- June 29, 2016
- L.A. Biz, June 28, 2016
- May 4, 2016
- May 2, 2016
- January 28, 2016
- December 24, 2015
- November 2015
- Law360, January 2, 2015
- Law360, December 18, 2014
- November 3, 2014
- Law360, October 16, 2014
- Law360 , September 23, 2014
- CFO Magazine, August 27, 2014
- Fox Business, August 25, 2014
- Law360, August 25, 2014
- August 2014
- August 2014
- Bloomberg , July 28, 2014
- Accounting Today, July 25, 2014
- July 23, 2014
- Daily Journal Quotes Charles Kolstad on Treasury's Push to Limit Corporate InversionsDaily Journal, July 18, 2014
- June 2014
- June 20, 2014
- May 27, 2014
- Daily Journal, May 12, 2014
- May 2, 2014
- January 2014
- December 30, 2013
- November 2013
- June 2013
- January 2013
- November 1, 2012
- August 24, 2012
- February 18, 2012
- January 26, 2012
- January 23, 2012
- November 1, 2011
- August 31, 2011
- June 13, 2011
- June 10, 2011
- June 9, 2011
- February 28, 2011
- January 25, 2011
- November 23, 2010
- September 15, 2010
- August 19, 2010
- January 26, 2010
- January 12, 2010
- August 3, 2009
- April 8, 2009
- January 30, 2009
- November 21, 2008
- September 17, 2008
- June 17, 2008
- January 30, 2008
- December 28, 2007
- March 29, 2007
Publications
- June 20, 2016
- Law360, May 26, 2015
- Los Angeles & San Francisco Daily Journal, October 29, 2014
- United States Chapter, Getting the Deal Through -Outsourcing 2014Law Business Research Ltd, 2014
- Los Angeles Lawyer , May 2014
- Law360 , November 22, 2013
- Los Angeles Lawyer , May 2013
- Economic Daily News (Taiwan), March 13, 2012
- The Wrap , August 8, 2011
- Accounting Today , March 24, 2011
- ABA Section of Taxation , February 14, 2011
- The State of Fractional Charitable Giving at the Intersection of Museology and Tax PolicySouthern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal, 2011
- Before You Say Yes and Move Abroad - Six Legal Issues to ConsiderFinancier Worldwide - Global Reference Guide: Employment & Human Resources 2010, November 2010
- Tax Issues Associated with Carbon Trading Assets and the Impact of Proposed LegislationABA Carbon Trading and Energy Finance Committee Newsletter, April 2010
- Los Angeles Lawyer magazine, 25th Annual Entertainment Law Issue , May 2009
- Los Angeles Lawyer magazine, Entertainment Law Issue , May 2007
Alerts
- May 14, 2024
- December 28, 2020
- November 10, 2020
- September 3, 2020
- May 1, 2020
- April 17, 2020
- CARES Act Tax Benefits for Charitable ContributionsApril 10, 2020
- April 10, 2020
- April 6, 2020
- Charitable Organizations May Apply for Forgivable Loans Under the CARES ActApril 3, 2020
- Tax and Employee Benefits Provisions of the CARES ActMarch 26, 2020
- Tax Return Filing and Payment ExtensionsMarch 23, 2020
- Estate Planning Opportunities in a Volatile, Low Interest Rate EnvironmentMarch 20, 2020
- March 18, 2020
- January 30, 2020
- January 9, 2020
- January 2, 2020
- December 23, 2019
- September 18, 2019
- June 5, 2019
- May 29, 2019
- April 19, 2019
- April 4, 2019
- April 2, 2019
- March 28, 2019
- March 25, 2019
- December 17, 2018
- November 19, 2018
- November 15, 2018
- May 7, 2018
- January 23, 2018
- January 17, 2018
- October 23, 2017
- October 2, 2017
- September 26, 2017
- July 17, 2017
- July 10, 2017
- July 5, 2017
- May 15, 2017
- February 23, 2017
- February 23, 2017
- January 20, 2017
- January 3, 2017
- December 29, 2016
- September 27, 2016
- September 8, 2016
- July 26, 2016
- July 18, 2016
- June 27, 2016
- May 2, 2016
- May 2, 2016
- April 8, 2016
- IRS Releases Draft Form 8971, Information Regarding Beneficiaries Acquiring Property From a DecedentDecember 31, 2015
- September 18, 2015
- August 21, 2015
- August 11, 2015
- April 15, 2015
- January 30, 2015
- November 5, 2014
- October 20, 2014
- Equal Tax Treatment for Same-Sex Couples in the Wake of Recent Supreme Court Ruling and IRS GuidanceJanuary 2014
- September 12, 2012
- April 17, 2012
- January 19, 2012
- August 4, 2011
- July 7, 2011
- May 10, 2011
- February 14, 2011
- December 21, 2010
- December 20, 2010
- September 29, 2010
- March 23, 2010
- February 2010
Events & Speaking Engagements
- November 4, 2024
- June 2023
- February 14, 2022
- November 1, 2021
- June 4, 2021
- The Basics of Estate PlanningSeptember 15, 2020
- March 13, 2020
- November 14, 2019
- November 12, 2019
- February 13, 2019
- November 7, 2018
- October 18, 2018
- June 20, 2018
- May 30, 2018
- May 10, 2018
- April 24, 2018
- April 13, 2018
- Spring 2018
- Winter 2018
- February 6, 2018
- Fall 2017
- August 3, 2017
- August 3, 2017
- May 15, 2017
- April 21, 2017
- March 3, 2017
- Winter 2017
- February 1, 2017
- Helpful Tips for Preparing Estate and Gift Tax Returns and Resolving Audits from Two Former IRS AttorneysJanuary 25, 2017
- December 20, 2016
- October 19, 2016
- October 18, 2016
- October 18, 2016
- September 30, 2016
- September 27, 2016
- September 21, 2016
- June 14, 2016
- June 3, 2016
- May 12, 2016
- February 11, 2016
- January 27, 2016
- January 26, 2016
- January 14, 2016
- December 1, 2015
- November 17, 2015
- October 8, 2015
- September 22, 2015
- May 21, 2015
- Spring 2015
- Fundamentals of Foreign Trust AdministrationMarch 11, 2015
- State Taxation of Income From Foreign AffiliatesMarch 11, 2015
- Engaging Accountants and Tax Attorneys in Multiple JurisdictionsJanuary 21, 2015
- International Tax Forms and Reporting RequirementsJanuary 7, 2015
- December 8, 2014
- November 19, 2014
- Fundamentals of Foreign Trust AdministrationNovember 5, 2014
- Form 8865: Reporting Foreign Partnership IncomeSeptember 23, 2014
- Cross-Border Money Transfers: Key Requirements and Pitfalls Every U.S.-Based Nonprofit Needs to KnowSeptember 13, 2014
- Bitcoin: Legal Fee or Foe?August 21, 2014
- Pre-Immigration Tax Planning for Foreign ClientsJuly 7, 2014
- May 29, 2014
- State Taxation of Income From Foreign AffiliatesFebruary 12, 2014
- Engaging Accountants and Tax Attorneys in Various JurisdictionsDecember 10, 2013
- November 13, 2013
- November 12, 2013
- Form 8865 - Foreign Partnership IncomeNovember 8, 2013
- October 2013
- October 15, 2013
- October 2, 2013
- May 30, 2013
- International Programs and Activities: Compliance IssuesMay 14, 2013
- May 6, 2013
- October 5, 2012
- September 17, 2012
- May 23, 2012
- Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act - How Does It Affect NFFEs and IndividualsFebruary 8, 2012
- Foreign Tax Reporting: FBARs & BeyondFebruary 10, 2011
- February 7, 2011
- November 24, 2010
- November 19, 2010
- October 21, 2010
- October 19, 2010
- September 30, 2010
- Form 5472 -What Everyone Should KnowJune 16, 2010
- June 15, 2010
- May 18, 2010
- April 28, 2010
- February 22, 2010
- Taxation of Foreign Operations -Rules and Planning OpportunitiesDecember 2009
- September 23, 2009
- Taxation of Cross Border Mergers & Acquisitions TransactionsSeptember 10, 2009
- 2009
- October 7, 2008