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Probate and Estate Administration/Litigation. Our firm has been counsel in the administration of innumerable probate estates, trusts, and conservatorships. We have extensive experience in complex trust and probate issues, such as allocating trust assets for generation-skipping tax purposes and handling estate tax disputes. Our firm also has a record of success in litigating trust, conservatorship, and estate disputes, including Will and trust contests, actions to remove trustees, fiduciary principal and income accounting disagreements, and appeals. Tax Planning and Disputes. Our firm has a strong focus on overall tax planning for individuals and businesses, especially in the context of sales and other transactions. We represent clients before the Federal and California taxing authorities in income, estate, gift, property, and sales tax audits and litigation, including cases before the US Tax Court. We have a proven record of successfully defending against "residency" audits, where California's Franchise Tax Board claims non-Californians who live part-time in the state (often called 'snowbirds') are subject to California's income tax. We also advise clients on asset protection. Business Counsel and Litigation. Our firm assists numerous businesses -- from professional corporations to manufacturers -- with their basic legal needs, including choosing the appropriate business entity, forming the company, negotiating and preparing agreements relating to employees, stockholders, sales and other transactions. We also have extensive experience in business litigation, especially relating to partnership and LLC disputes and accountings.
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