Succession Planning Roundtable - Managing the Estate Tax: How Family Businesses Can Avoid Paying It
Event Sponsors
Date and Time
Thursday Oct 30, 2025
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM EDT
Thursday, October 30, 2025
7:45-8:00 a.m. - Registration/Coffee
8:00-9:30 a.m. - Session
Location
Ohio Dominican University
Griffin Student Center - PRESIDENT'S DINING ROOM
1215 Sunbury Road
Columbus 43219
* The President's Dining Room is on the 2nd floor of the Griffin Student Center. Turn right if you take the stairs; turn left off the elevator. Follow the Conway signs!
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Fees/Admission
Free for all Conway Center members. Owners and next gens are strongly encouraged to attend this session together!
Contact Information
Amy Dotts, COO & Events Manager
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Description
Managing the Estate Tax: How Family Businesses Can Avoid Paying It
The estate tax doesn't have to be inevitable. Numerous legal strategies and planning techniques exist that can help family businesses avoid paying estate taxes entirely, making it what tax experts often call a 'voluntary' tax.
To help family businesses navigate these complexities, attorneys Bea Wolper of Emens Wolper Jacobs & Jasin and Meredith Sugar of Taft/ will explore practical approaches - from trusts to gifting strategies - designed to minimize or eliminate estate tax liability and preserve wealth across generations:
Understanding Estate Tax and Its Impact
- Overview of federal estate tax exemption and current thresholds
- Common pitfalls in estate planning leading to unexpected tax burdens
- Strategies to minimize or avoid estate tax liability through proper planning
Irrevocable Trusts in Succession Planning
- Definition and key features of irrevocable trusts: asset protection, control, and tax advantages
- How transferring business interests to irrevocable trusts removes value from the taxable estate
- Advantages including avoidance of probate, protection from creditors, and generation-skipping opportunities
- Trustee roles and governance considerations
Additional Methods for Reducing Estate Tax Liability
- Charitable trusts and donations to reduce estate value
- Family limited partnerships and gifting strategies
Generously sponsored by Morgan Stanley
It’s never too early to start succession planning for your family business! Join our dynamic quarterly roundtable, led by Bea Wolper of Emens Wolper Jacobs & Jasin and Meredith Sugar of Taft/, for interactive discussions on every aspect of succession—from family dynamics to strategic planning. This program is valuable for both current leaders and next-generation successors; attending together is highly encouraged.
