Hoffman, Sabban Watenmaker

HOFFMAN, SABBAN & WATENMAKER
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION

ABOUT THE FIRM

Hoffman, Sabban & Watenmaker, APC, is a law firm which limits its practice to trust and estate and tax matters. However, as discussed below, this incorporates a large number of specialty areas.

Founded in 1981, the firm now has eleven lawyers and three paralegals. While our firm is small by most measures, we have one of the largest single office trust and estate practices in California, and one of the largest concentrations of members of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel in the United States. This depth of expertise means that in most cases involving complex and unusual problems, someone in our office has dealt with a comparable situation in the past. We have developed specialized forms, computerized systems, and questionnaires. This allows us to handle both simple and complex matters faster, better and in a more cost efficient manner than many other firms.

Our clientele primarily consists of affluent individuals involved in a broad range of industries and businesses, including the law, accounting and medical professions, restaurateurs, clothing design and manufacturing, owners of retail, wholesale and manufacturing businesses, and executives of major corporations. The firm has particular expertise with clients in the entertainment and real estate industries.

Our estate planning practice includes the preparation of wills, living trusts, irrevocable trusts, charitable remainder and charitable lead trusts, insurance trusts, living wills, durable powers of attorney for financial matters, and durable powers of attorney for health care. Our estate planning practice also includes succession planning for businesses, asset protection planning and international estate planning.

Our estate administration practice includes probate, post mortem administration of living trusts, conservatorships, and beneficiary rights dispute resolution.

Our tax practice includes income tax planning and civil tax controversies, involving international, United States and California taxation; corporate, partnership and individual income taxation, sales, use and property taxation; formation and representation of tax-exempt organizations and charitable planning; and gift and estate tax return preparation and controversies.