Harmon A. Brown concentrates his practice in:

• Estate planning
• Trust and estate administration
• Planning for closely held businesses

He helps individuals thoughtfully plan the transfer of their wealth to their beneficiaries in the most tax-efficient manner. He has designed several intricate plans to help incentivize beneficiaries as well as plan for beneficiaries with disabilities. Much of his work has been planning for the transfer of wealth over multiple generations.

Mr. Brown has extensive experience working with owners of closely held businesses in minimizing taxes and in multi-generational planning. He also has helped organize numerous charitable entities and obtain their exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and addresses management issues of charitable organizations.

He has extensive audit experience before the IRS, having successfully resolved audits involving:

• Valuation of closely held businesses and real estate
• Marketability and minority interest discounts for family limited partnerships and closely held corporations
• Special income and estate tax elections
• Late filing or tax payment penalty issues
• Deductibility of expenses

Mr. Brown has contributed to advanced planning techniques and current development seminars for:

• Bank of Hawaii
• First Hawaiian Bank
• Hawaii Tax Institute
• Hawaii Estate Planning Council
• Hawaii Family Business Data

Publications

Illinois Practical Probate

"Long Awaited IRS Notice Lifts Section 2036(c) Blind Fold," Trusts & Estates

Speeches and Presentations

"Powerful Planning Opportunities Using LLCs For Your Clients' Business and Real Estate Activities," 48th Annual Hawaii Tax Institute (December 5-8, 2011)

"Family Limited Partnerships and Family Limited Liability Companies: The Unwind," AICPA: Advanced Estate Planning Conference (July 18-20, 2011)

"Powerful Planning Opportunities Using LLCs For Your Client’s Business and Real Estate Activities," 47th Annual Hawaii Tax Institute (November 1-4, 2010)

"Dealing with Real Property Trapped Inside of a C Corporation," 46th Annual Hawaii Tax Institute (2009)

"Family Limited Partnerships and Family Limited Liability Companies: The Unwind," 45th Annual Hawaii Tax Institute (October 20-23, 2008)

"Planning With Real Estate," 44th Annual Hawaii Tax Institute (October 22-25, 2007)

Awards and Honors

Leading Lawyer — Tax Law: Individual; Trust, Will and Estate Planning Law, Illinois Leading Lawyers Network

Martindale-Hubbell — A/V Rated