Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in Alpharetta, GA

Honors/Awards:

• I have continued to maintain a 5-star rating on Avvo.com, based on both client reviews and reviews by other attorneys., 5-Star Avvo.com rating, Avvo.com, 2020
• I am honored to have been selected once again as a member of the Georgia SuperLawyers list in the area of Estate Planning and Probate for 2020, marking my 8th consecutive year on this list., SuperLawyers selection, SuperLawyers, 2020
• I have continued to maintain an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell., AV rating- Martindale-Hubbell, Martindale-Hubbell, 2020
• I was named a Five Star Professional Wealth Advisor again for 2019., Five Star Professional Wealth Advisor, Atlanta Magazine, 2019
• I have continued to maintain a 5-star rating on Avvo.com, based on both client reviews and reviews by other attorneys., 5-Star Avvo.com rating, Avvo.com, 2019
• I have continued to maintain an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell ever since it was originally awarded to me. This is the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and it is based on a survey of my peers., AV rating- Martindale-Hubbell, Martindale-Hubbell, 2019
• Golden Key National Honor Society, Member, Georgia State University, 1994
• I have been named as a Five Star Professional for 2018., Five Star Professional, Atlanta Magazine, 2018
• AVVO.com: rated Superb (10.0 out of 10.0)- I have maintained a Superb rating from Avvo.com for many years., Superb (10 out of 10 rating), Avvo.com
• I am honored to have been named my by peers in the legal community as one of Georgia Trend magazine's 2016 Legal Elite in the area of tax, trust, and estate law., Georgia Trend Legal Elite in Tax, Estate, and Trust Law, Georgia Trend magazine, 2016
• Five Star Professional, Atlanta Magazine (this is the new name for the Five Star Wealth Manager award)- 2015 & 2016
• AV Rating - Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
• Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers Georgia, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, & 2019
• Committee Star, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers (GAWL), 2010
• Five Star Wealth Manager, Atlanta Magazine, 2010 - 2014
• AVVO.com Top Contributor, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, & 2019

Bar/Professional Activity:

• Board Member- Estate Planning Council of North Georgia. I am honored to once again have been asked to serve as a member of the Board of Directors for the Council., 2020
• Balser Professional Advisors Giving Circle. This was my fourth year of participating with this giving circle. We continued to focus on ways to help close the opportunity gap in the Atlanta community of Thomasville Heights., 2019
• Estate Planning Council of North Georgia.  I am honored to have been asked to serve an additional year as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors of the Council., 2019
• Balser Professional Advisors Giving Circle. This was my third year of participating with this giving circle. We continued to focus on ways to help close the opportunity gap in the Atlanta community of Thomasville Heights., 2018
• ProWIN (the Professional Women's Information Network, Inc.): Advisory Board Member (2015- present); Board Member-at-Large (2014); Immediate Past President (2013); President: 2011 & 2012, President-Elect: 2010, VP of Finance/Treasurer: 2007 - 2009, Member: 2005 - present
• ProWIN, Immediate Past President, 2013
• The Mortmain, the periodical issued by the Atlanta Bar Association's Estate Planning & Probate Section, Editor-in-Chief June 2013 to present; Contributing Editor December 2005 to June 2013)
• Atlanta Estate Planning Council, Member, September 2011 to present
• Board Member; Estate Planning Council of North Georgia. I was honored to be asked to serve a two-year term as a member of the Board of Directors for the Estate Planning Council of North Georgia., 2016
• Member, Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, 2005 - present
• Atlanta Bar Association, Estate Planning & Probate Section, Member-at-large, Board of Directors: June 2007 - May 2009
• Board Member, Estate Planning Council of North Georgia. I am in my second year of a two-year term as a member of the board of directors., 2017
• Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia, Member, 2010 - present
• Georgia Association for Women Lawyers, Co-founder and Host of North Fulton GAWL Neighborhood Networking Breakfast, April 2008 - April 2011
• Estate Planning Council of North Georgia (Member - 2008 to present)
• Atlanta Bar Association, Estate Planning & Probate Section, Contributing Editor for The Mortmain, the Section newsletter: December 2005 to May 2013
• ProWIN (the Professional Women's Information Network, Inc.), 2007 - present
• North Fulton Bar Association, Member, 2005 - present
• Atlanta Bar Association, Estate Planning & Probate Section, Immediate Past Chair (June 2013 - May 2014). During my year as Chair, the Section was selected as the Small Section of the Year by the Atlanta Bar Association.
• Atlanta Bar Association, Estate Planning & Probate Section, Treasurer: June 2010 - May 2011, Secretary: June 2009 - May 2010
• Georgia, 1997
• Atlanta Bar Association, Small Firm/Solo Practitioner Section, 2005 - present
• Atlanta Bar Association, Estate Planning & Probate Section, Member: 2005 - present
• Balser Professional Advisors Giving Circle. This is the second version of this program, which is deisgned to keep alumni from the Philanthropic Advisor Leadership Institute program engaged with charitable giving and planning issues., 2017
• North Fulton Bar Association (Member - 2005 to present)
• Atlanta Bar Association, CLE Board of Trustees, Member-at-Large, June 2013 to May 2016
• Balser Professional Advisors Giving Circle. This is the third year version of this program, which is deisgned to keep alumni from the Philanthropic Advisor Leadership Institute program engaged with charitable giving and planning issues., 2018
• Philanthropic Advisor Leadership Institute, Participating Class Member, Class of 2011
• Atlanta Bar Association, Estate Planning & Probate Section, Editor-in-Chief for The Mortmain, the Section newsletter: June 2013 - present
• American Bar Association, Member, 1994 - present
• Stonewall Bar Association, Member, 2005 - present
• Financial Planning Association, Member, 2001 to 2007
• Atlanta Bar Association, Taxation Section, Member, 2005 - present
• Atlanta Bar Association, Member, 2005 to present
• Georgia Bar Association, Member
• Balser Professional Advisors Giving Circle. This is a group of alumni from the Philanthropic Advisor Leadership Institute that is now focused on studying a particular set of social issues and selecting a charity that will receive a grant from the group., 2016
• Stonewall Bar Association (Member - 2005 to present)
• ProWIN, Board-Member-at-Large, 2014
• Board Member- Estate Planning Council of North Georgia. I was asked and have agreed to serve an additional 1-year term as a member-at-large on the board of directors of this group, which is comprised of attorneys, CPAs, insurance and investment professional advisors, and other professionals who assist their clients with estate planning and related concerns., 2018
• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Member, 2010 - present
• ProWIN, Advisory Board member, 2015 - present
• State Bar of Georgia, Member, 1997 to present
• Atlanta Bar Association, Estate Planning & Probate Section, Chair: June 2012 - May 2013, Vice-Chair/Chair Elect: June 2011 - May 2012

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Avvo.com and Lawyers.com - I have continued to answer questions posted by laypeople on forums hosted by Avvo.com and Lawyers.com regarding estate planning and probate related matters., 2020
• The Mortmain- I have continued to edit and help publish The Mortmain, which is the newsletter for the Estate Planning & Probate Section of the Atlanta Bar Association., 2020
• I have continued to review and answer questions posted by lay people on Avvo.com and Lawyers.com in hopes of helping people understand and deal with some of the complex probate and estate planning related issues they face., 2019
• Continue to edit The Mortmain, the publication of the Estate Planning & Probate Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. This is considered pro bono work., 2019
• Review and answer questions posted by laypeople on avvo.com and Lawyers.com about estate planning, probate, trust, and tax related issues., 2008

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

• Presented at the Atlanta Bar Association's Estate Planning & Probate Section's August 2018 breakfast. The presentation title was: "Endless Summer? Planning to Keep the Vacation Home in the Family." Presentation provided attendees with 1 CLE hour., Author & Presenter, Endless Summer? Planning to Keep the Vacation Home in the Family, Legal Industry, 2018
• Presented a short talk on charitable planning under the 2017 Tax Act at the Women Inspiring, Supporting, & Educating seminar that was put on by Lincoln Financial Advisors event for financial planners in 2018. This was my second year in a row speaking at this event; I was invited back by the organization because my first talk was very well received., Author & Presenter, Charitable Planning Under the 2017 Tax Act, Financial, 2018
• Presented at the Women Inspiring, Supporting, & Educating seminar that was put on by Lincoln Financial Advisors for women financial advisors., Author & Presenter, Some Not-So-Obvious Reasons That Estate, Trust, Conservatorship, & Guardianship Related Disputes Are Going To Explode In Number In the Future , 2017
• Estate Planning's New Paradigm; Presenter, 2014 Estate Planning Conference of the Georgia Society of CPAs, August 1, 2014, Author & Presenter, Estate Planning's New Paradigm, Accounting, 2014
• Presented along with Understanding the Basics of the Most Common Trusts at the 2014 Federal Tax Day Seminar of the American Woman's Society of Certified Public Accountants, Georgia Affiliate, on November 7, 2014, Author & Presenter, The Top 10 Estate Facts that ALL CPAs Must Know, 2014
• Understanding the Basics of the Most Common Trusts (presented along with The Top 10 Estate Facts that ALL CPAs Must Know; both presented at the 2014 Federal Tax Day Seminar of the American Woman's Society of Certified Public Accountants, Georgia Affiliate, on November 7, 2014, Author & Presenter, Understanding the Basics of the Most Common Trusts, 2014

Transactions:

• Have worked with many, many clients on estate planning which is intended to maximize the benefits of clients' generation-skipping transfer ("GST") tax exemption amounts, using both inter vivos and testamentary trusts. Developed extensive understanding of the GST tax rules
• Assisted client in the creation of a Delaware-based perpetual trust designed to benefit client's grandchildren and other, lower-generation beneficiaries, 2011
• Have worked with numerous gay and lesbian couples to prepare and implement estate planning measures intended to protect them and, in many cases, their children in the event of the death or disability of either member of the couple.
• Assisted client in settling large and complex estate which involved the establishment and funding of two testamentary trusts, allocation of decedent's GST exemption, and preparation and filing of the IRS form needed to elect out of the application of the federal estate tax for the decedent, who died during 2010
• Helped client develop ideas for and then drafted extremely complex trust which contained extensive incentive and "disincentive" provisions for client's child.
• Assisted numerous clients with planning and executing gift transactions designed to allow them to take advantage of the gift tax and generation-skipping transfer ("GST") tax exemptions in effect for 2012 before December 31, 2012
• Assisted client who filed Petition for Letters of Administration for an estate pro se, was appointed as Administrator, and then later discovered someone believed to have been an heir was not, 2010
• Helped client develop and establish a 501(c)(3) public charity for the purpose of conducting a major annual automotive event and raising funds for charity, 2000

Other Outstanding Achievements:

• In June 2020, I spoke to members of the Atlanta-area 2020 Leadership class for the CREW Network (a group that is designed to help women working in the commercial real estate field) on estate planning issues., 2020
• Selected as a Five Star Professional Wealth Advisor by Atlanta Magazine in each year from 2010 through 2018., 2017

Videos:

• Appeared on There's Joy in the House in April 2010, Internet TV show, There's Joy in the House

Newsletters:

• “Do-It-Yourself” Wills & Other Estate Planning – If You Really Care, Beware!
• The January edition of the newsletter is about The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012: Estate Planning Game Changer?
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter – December 2012, Housing for Veterans in Need of Assistance and the Negative Impact of the VA’s Recent “Fast Letter”
• Primer on Special Needs Trusts
• The Essence of Estate Planning: Let the Journey Begin
• Estate Planning for Blended Families - Let Me Count The Ways
• Estate Planning is Not a One-Time Event
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter – September 2011, Historically Low Interest Rates Create Incredible Planning Opportunities For Those Who Act Quickly
• When Mom Isn't Quite Right: Aging and Incapacity
• Co-writer, Newsletter for our clients and professional contacts, The Passionate Estate Planner
• What is a Trust?
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter – March 2012, Time is running out for those who want to save taxes and provide huge benefits to their loves ones
• IRAs and Qualified Plan Accounts: Should You Pass Them to Beneficiaries Outright or in Trust?
• Take Steps to Prevent Destructive Post-Death Disputes Over Your Estate Plan
• POWERS OF ATTORNEY – How to Avoid Potential Agent Liability with a Quick Fix
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter  February - 2013, Navigating the Estate Planning Pitfalls Created by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter – June 2012, Corporate Fiduciaries for Estates & Trusts: Reliability, Prudence, Reasonableness, Protection and Peace of Mind
• VA Benefits FAQ
• Same Sex Couples: If You Really Care About Building a Life With Your Partner… You Need to Do the Planning Now! (Updated)
• Latest issue of The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter addresses the issue of planning estates for families with special needs children, Common Pitfalls When Planning Estates for Families with Special Needs Children
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter – November 2011, Long-Term Trust-Based Planning Makes Focusing on Intent More Important
• Special Needs Trust Accounts Created Under the ABLE Act
• Preparing for Incapacity: The Documents You Need and Traps to Avoid
• The October 24 issue of The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter addresses the issue of Planning for the Protections of the Elderly and Disabled., Planning for the Protection of the Elderly or Disabled
• Planning for Incapacity and Death
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter – May 2012, Ethical Wills Revisited: What you really want to communicate to your loved ones
• Perpetual Dynasty Trusts – Maximizing The Benefits Of Trusts By Structuring Them To Last Longer
• Should I Use a Will or a Revocable Living Trust? Separating Facts From Fiction- (Updated June 2015)
• Estate Planning – The Big Picture, but Critically Important, Issues.
• The Passionate Estate Planner; Morgan & DiSalvo, P.C.'s newsletter - January 2012, The 2010 Tax Act, Gifts, and Perpetual Dynasty Trusts - The Perfect Estate Planning Combination
• What is a Trust?
• The Essence of Estate Planning: Let the Journey Begin (Updated August, 2015)

Educational Background:

• Georgia State University, B.A., cum laude, with distinction in History, 1994