William H. Gaggos

I was born in Highland Park, Michigan, the oldest of four children. My parents were both children of immigrants and products of the Great Depression: my mother a homemaker and my father a businessman who grew up in poverty, helping support his family by selling newspapers on the streets of Detroit from the age of eight. My father’s background in particular shaped my perspective of family, work, and money. I bring that perspective, along with broad technical knowledge of the tax code, business, property, estate and trust law, to every estate and business planning engagement.

I earned my accounting degree from Michigan State University (1992) and my law degree from the University of Detroit (1995). I began my career in public accounting, working for two years at a firm that exclusively served ultra-wealthy families, including the Taubman family. That role introduced me to partnership taxation and gift tax planning. The technical experience was invaluable, but with almost no direct client contact, I never felt my work made a personal impact.

After earning my CPA, I moved to a small, local tax consulting firm, where I spent another three years working more closely with clients. That position expanded my experience across virtually every area of tax law, including partnership, corporate, individual, estate, and gift taxation. During slower seasons, I worked directly with clients who owed significant back taxes, as well as clients with estate and business planning needs. That hands-on experience sharpened my understanding of asset-protection strategies and provided a strong foundation for my current estate and business planning practice.

I live in Beverly Hills, Michigan with my wife, and we have two children (ages 19 and 22). In my free time, I enjoy all things outdoors –sailing, hiking, downhill skiing, hunting, and fishing. I am also an avid reader of historical fiction, psychology, and philosophy.