Robert W. Kessler

Areas of Practice:

Asset Protection Planning
Business Succession Planning
Charitable and Foundation Planning
Elder Law/Long Term Health Care and Medicaid Planning
Estate and Trust Administration
Estate and Trust Taxation
Retirement Benefit Planning
Family Wealth Planning

Education:

Cornell University Law School, J.D.
Hamilton College, B.A.

Phone:

585-987-2849

Fax:

585-987-2949

Email:

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Status:

At a Glance:

Robert W. Kessler is a partner in the firm and member of the Family Wealth & Estate Planning Practice Group where he concentrates his practice in estate planning, charitable giving, estate administration, probate and estate tax law.

Representative Matters:

• Works with clients to develop the proper estate plan from simple estates with young children to large estates with complicated assets such as closely held businesses.

• Counsel clients daily on ways to reduce estate taxes and protect assets from claims of creditors and nursing home spend-down.

• Handled estate tax audits with closely held businesses and obtained significant discounts through use of family limited partnership and limited liability companies.

• Advised clients on generation-skipping tax issues to pass on the maximum exempt amounts to grandchildren.

• Advised wealthy clients on purchase of life insurance in irrevocable trusts to provide liquidity for family and estate taxes.

• Advised numerous clients on charitable giving plans to reduce estate taxes and still provide for family using outright charitable gifts, charitable remainder trusts, funds with charitable organizations, and private foundations.

Community Involvement:

Bar Admissions:

Professional Affiliations:

• Trusts and Estates Section of the Monroe County Bar Association
• Estate Planning Council
• Rochester Chapter of the International Association for Financial Planning
• Deferred Giving Committee for Rochester Area Multiple Sclerosis
• Planned Giving Council at the University of Rochester Medical School
• Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel since 1995

Other:

Mr. Kessler is included in the current edition of “The Best Lawyers in America” for his practice in the area of Trusts and Estates. He has been listed for the past ten years.

• Recipient of the Joe U. Posner Founders Award from the Rochester Area Community Foundation for his work on community philanthropy.

• Frequent lecturer on estate planning and estate tax subjects at County and State Bar Association seminars and local forums.

• Published “Ten Common Estate Planning Mistakes and Solutions.”