Sarah Kerr Severson takes a holistic approach to helping individuals and multigenerational families implement and manage comprehensive estate plans and business succession plans. Sarah brings an instinct for facilitating transition and a keen awareness of the “softer side,” familial and social issues, which uniquely position her to guide clients through special needs planning, wealth transfer planning and charitable planning techniques.
A counselor to those with significant wealth, Sarah assesses her client’s circumstances, diagnoses the issues and coordinates a plan that meets both immediate and long-term goals. Her holistic approach takes into account all of the financial, personal, tax and non-tax objectives in play.
Sarah recognizes that her client’s plans and established entities have lives of their own; they need continuous care and feeding. Sarah quarterbacks all issues that affect her clients and takes very seriously her role as a trusted business adviser and confidant for current and future generations.
EXPERIENCE:
- Guiding individuals and multigenerational families through estate, trust and guardianship litigation and administration.
- Serving as special counsel to individuals and multigenerational families when conflicts arise.
- Assisting multigenerational families with developing and adopting a business succession plan, including educating the next generation.
- Educating clients about charitable planning techniques, establishing the charitable entity and advising on all administrative processes.
- Creating the blueprint and facilitating implementation of comprehensive, client-specific, leveraged wealth transfer techniques.
- Counseling clients through the unique planning and solutions available to individuals with special needs and disabilities, ranging from special needs trusts to guardianships.
- Advising individual and corporate fiduciaries on all aspects of administration and liability, ranging from fiduciary best practices and risk management to representation in litigation.
EDUCATION:
- Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, J.D., 1998
- University of Iowa, B.A., 1995
BAR ADMISSIONS:
- Illinois
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
- Chicago Bar Association
- Family Office Exchange, Thought Leaders Council
- Illinois State Bar Association
- LaGrange Lawyers League
CIVIC AND CHARITABLE MEMBERSHIPS:
- Mark Morton Memorial Fund, President
- Strategic Philanthropy, Ltd., Advisory Board
Cost
Rate : $$$