801-323-3314
801-323-3314
Mr. Curtis practices primarily in the areas of estate planning and administration, taxation, business planning, and retirement planning for clients in all ranges of wealth and complexity. More detail is provided below.
Estate and Trust Planning and Administration
Mr. Curtis devotes considerable time in advising clients on consequences (both tax and non-tax) of transferring property from one person to another, during lifetime or at death. He assists in developing creative solutions for difficult family estate issues including drafting customized wills, trust arrangements, powers of attorney, healthcare powers and living wills, while minimizing federal and state taxes. In his practice, he has assisted thousands of clients with a range of overall wealth from several million dollars to those with significant wealth. The primary focus of his estate practice includes advice, consultation and drafting of:
In addition to the creation and drafting of the estate planning documentation, Mr. Curtis is active in the implementation of the estate plan, including trust administration, probate of estates, and preparation and filing of complicated federal estate tax returns.
Business Formation, Planning and Transactions
Mr. Curtis has broad experience in advising clients in the formation, acquisition, merger, sale or termination of businesses (corporations, general and limited partnerships and limited liability companies), with an emphasis for owners of closely-held businesses (shareholders, partners and members) and professionals (doctors, dentists, architects, accountants, engineers, lawyers, etc.).
Employee Benefits Planning, Retirement Plans and ERISA
Mr. Curtis spends considerable time in employee benefits and retirement planning. Since the passage of ERISA in 1974, Mr. Curtis has assisted in the design, installation, qualification, amendment and termination of numerous retirement plans including 401(k), profit sharing, money purchase, defined benefit, and ESOP plans. He assists in handling audits required by the Internal Revenue Service or the Department of Labor and also responds to questions that arise in the day-to-day operation of retirement plans.
On an individual basis, Mr. Curtis advises on the designation of beneficiaries of retirement plans (as part of the overall estate plan) and the strategies or options available and appropriate (including rollovers to IRA’s) not only at time of accumulation but also at time of retirement, required minimum distributions and post-death.
Mr. Curtis’ practice emphasis also includes non-qualified retirement benefits (such as deferred compensation arrangements) and executive compensation alternatives.
Among his professional recognitions are the following:
University of Utah, J.D., 1971
University of Utah, B.S., Accounting, 1968
Admitted to Practice -
Utah State Bar
United States Tax Court
United States District Court