In this episode of Inside R&E, Theodore (Ted) Metzger, Member & Head of the firm’s Trusts & Estates Department, provides a comprehensive overview of the many ways in which trust & estate planning goes hand-in-hand with real estate representation. With 30-plus years of experience guiding clients of all sizes through wealth transfers, Ted has a demonstrated expertise mitigating tax exposure from a generational wealth perspective, and ensuring that assets continue to be managed and pass seamlessly in the event of death or disability. Over the course of this discussion, Ted explains how owning real estate in New York - and outside of New York - can impact estate and inheritance taxes, while suggesting tips on how to ensure that real estate holdings are efficiently transferred upon death. 

For the last three decades, Ted has built a substantial trusts and estates practice representing both high net worth individuals and families as well as clients of more modest means. Ted is also sensitive to the planning needs of non-traditional families including LGBTQ partners and those creating families through assisted reproduction and surrogacy. Much of the estate planning includes efforts to maximize inter-generational wealth transfers, taking advantage of minority and illiquidity discounts in closely held entities, installment sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts, spousal lifetime access trusts and similar techniques.

Many of Ted’s clients have large real estate interests and/or businesses, and we have used creative ways to shift appreciating assets and future appreciation to trusts and other entities benefitting younger generations of beneficiaries. His practice also includes estate administration and post-mortem tax planning. Ted is also conversant in business transactions, commercial and residential real estate transactions (including co-ops and condos), leasing, joint ventures and other business matters.

For any questions related to this episode, please contact Ted Metzger at [email protected] or (212) 551-2046.