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Overview
TESSA ASSISTS CLIENTS WITH TAX AND ESTATE PLANNING, BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING, ESTATE AND TRUST ADMINISTRATION, AND ESTATE, GIFT, AND INCOME TAX CONTROVERSIES.
Tessa has a broad tax and estate planning practice. She helps clients plan for and manage tax-efficient transfers of wealth to future generations by designing comprehensive estate plans that meet each client’s unique goals, and by implementing those plans through advice regarding lifetime gifts and estate and trust administration. Tessa also advises clients regarding income tax and retirement planning, and represents taxpayers in federal and state income, gift, and estate tax controversies. Finally, Tessa regularly advises charitable organizations and individuals with charitable goals with respect to the formation and administration of public charities, private foundations, and charitable trusts.
Experience
Client Achievements
- Prepares wills and revocable (living) trusts to plan for the transfer of assets at death.
- Prepares health care directives and financial powers of attorney to plan for incapacity.
- Helps high-net worth families design sophisticated lifetime gifting plans to transfer assets to later generations while minimizing income, estate, and gift taxes, including the use of irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), and installment sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs).
- Assists family offices with designing and implementing complex estate plans for multiple generations of business owners.
- Helps business owners plan for the transition of family businesses.
- Advises clients about charitable gifting options, including the creation and administration of private foundations, supporting organizations, charitable lead trusts, and charitable remainder trusts.
- Represents taxpayers in income, estate, and gift tax controversies.
- Advises clients on estate and gift tax, structuring, and valuation issues in the formation of family partnerships and LLCs that hold a variety of family business, real property, and investment assets.
- Advises trustees regarding trust administration, including representing trustees in requests for court instruction or approval and advising trustees regarding trust modifications and decanting.
- Represents personal representatives (executors) in the probate process and all aspects of estate administration.
News & Resources
Articles
December 21, 2017
September 15, 2014
“Court Jurisdiction and Procedure” in Minnesota Trust Administration Deskbook, 3d ed. (Sheryl G. Morrison & Robert W. Mairs, eds.) (2014) (with Sonny F. Miller)
2014
News & Press Mentions
October 29, 2020
November 17, 2017
Events & Speaking Engagements
Industries & Practices
Nonprofit & Tax Exempt Organizations
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceTax Controversy & Litigation
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Closely Held Businesses
- Nonprofit & Tax Exempt Organizations
- Tax Controversy & Litigation
- Trusts & Estates
Professional & Civic
Professional Achievements
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Member of the Probate and Trust Law Section Legislation Committee
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Community Involvement
- Sabathani Community Center, Board of Directors
- Active pro bono practice assisting new and existing nonprofit organizations
