Wealth PlanningOverviewEstate and wealth planning can raise sensitive issues. Our lawyers act as both legal advisors and trusted counselors, helping clients leverage financial and legal tools to achieve their personal, family, business, and charitable goals. Michael Best provides guidance on income and estate tax planning, business succession planning, financial planning, asset protection planning, risk management, and retirement planning. Our clients, who come from diverse backgrounds and situations, include executives, private investors, family trusts, closely held business owners, and philanthropists. We look at the big picture of each client’s overall financial planning, often working with their accountants, investment managers, and other professional advisors. Our plans are designed to be flexible, and we assist clients in adapting and responding to unforeseen family and business issues, economic conditions, and ever-changing tax laws. Contact our Wealth Planning Coordinator with questions on new or existing estate plans and to be directed to an attorney for assistance. Contact Us
Service Areas
We have extensive experience across all dimensions of wealth transfer, asset protection, and estate planning matters. Our work includes the following areas:
Family Offices
A successful family office requires strategic planning and thoughtful design. Michael Best’s Family Offices team of legal and business advisors can support you at every stage—from initial vision through setup and ongoing operations. We advise on legal and tax structures, succession planning, philanthropic and investment strategies, regulatory compliance, privacy and data protection, and much more.
Tax and Estate Planning
- Asset protection
- Wills
- Living trusts
- Testamentary trusts
- Gift and estate tax preparation
- Individual income tax preparation and planning
- Fiduciary income tax preparation and planning
- Generation-skipping trusts and tax planning
- Qualified personal residence trusts
- Grantor retained annuity trusts
- Trust administration
- Family limited partnerships, LLCs, and other corporate structures
- Intra-family sales
- Minimization of transfer taxes
- Changes of residency planning
Family Business Succession Planning
- Transition to next-generation owners
- Formation and maintenance of corporate entities
- Shareholder and buy/sell agreements
- Recapitalizations
- ESOPs
- Qualified Subchapter S trusts
- Electing small business trusts
Charitable Planning
- Income tax implications
- Charitable remainder and lead trusts
- Family foundations
- Donor-advised funds
Contested Matters
- Tax audits and litigation (federal and state)
- Will contests
- Trust litigation
- Estate and trust accountings
Insurance Planning
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts
- Split-dollar plans
- Beneficiary designations
- Analysis of life, disability, and long-term care insurance
Marital Property Planning
- Pre- and post-marital agreements
- Titling of assets
Elder Law/Disability Planning
- Financial powers of attorney
- Healthcare powers of attorney
- Special needs trusts
- Long-term care planning
- Governmental benefits
Retirement Planning
- Qualified and nonqualified retirement plans
- Deferred compensation
- Retirement distribution planning
- Stock option issuance and exercise
For matters involving state law, which can vary in different regions, we often work with trusted colleagues through the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). ACTEC is an organization of trust and estate lawyers and law professors who are at the top of their profession, committed to maintaining excellence in the trust and estate legal field and to continually improving the practice of trust and estate law. Related People Preview Attorney's BiographyJoseph focuses his law practice in the area of wealth planning for businesses, organizations, and individuals. He counsels clients on matters involving wills, trusts, estates, powers of attorney, and marital property agreements. Joseph also assists clients with tax planning, business succession planning, charitable planning, and other related considerations.  Preview Attorney's BiographyAmanda is a paralegal in the firm’s Transactional and Wealth Planning practice group. She brings more than 19 years of experience as a paralegal and has worked in estate planning, real estate, and civil litigation. Amanda aids with a full spectrum of corporate matters. She provides comprehensive services in the area of estate planning, such as drafting Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Deeds, as well as asset protection, funding, and estate administration. Amanda K. Goldrick* *Names that appear with an asterisk indicate a Michael Best professional not admitted to practice law.  Preview Attorney's BiographyJulie’s outstanding track record is built on successful outcomes in legal matters related to estate planning, trust administration, and probate. Clients rely on her sound judgment regarding lifetime planning, as well as the administration and distribution of assets at death.  Preview Attorney's BiographyMark’s practice is focused on representing individuals in wealth planning and administration, including the preparation of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and charitable planning. Mark also collaborates with the firm’s corporate attorneys to advise business owners and executives on business succession planning, and other matters related to the protection of their assets. He works closely with each client to understand their goals and needs on an individual level and develops tailored solutions that achieve those objectives. Mark’s clients rely on his ability to successfully navigate complex family and financial situations and reach practical and effective solutions. Luke A. Johnson* *Names that appear with an asterisk indicate a Michael Best professional not admitted to practice law.  Preview Attorney's BiographyBrad’s practice includes all areas of estate and business succession planning. He serves as a trusted advisor to individuals, families, and companies seeking to cost-effectively structure or transfer businesses. Clients value Brad’s responsiveness, particularly his ability to help them understand complex property and tax law concepts.  Preview Attorney's BiographyPhil has more than 20 years of experience assisting individuals with estate, wealth, and business succession planning and helping businesses with corporate and real estate matters. As an estate planner, Phil knows that transferring wealth effectively requires the preservation of family relationship. When advising clients and their families, he devotes significant time to communicating with members of each generation. He strives to develop practical plans that carry out his clients’ wishes and minimize taxes, while also providing the flexibility needed to address unforeseen circumstances. Amy Nolan-Horvey* *Names that appear with an asterisk indicate a Michael Best professional not admitted to practice law.  Preview Attorney's BiographyVirginia is an estate planning and business law attorney. She helps clients establish estate plans that efficiently transfer wealth to the next generation, including the preparation of wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. She also advises and guides executors, trustees, and beneficiaries through the estate administration process. In her corporate practice, Virginia advises companies, nonprofits, and start-ups through all stages of their lifecycles, including entity formation and dissolution, contract review and drafting, and corporate acquisitions, sales, and financing.
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