Susan L. Anderson

As a member of the firm's estate planning practice, Susan serves a wide array of clients – including estates of all sizes and many blended and untraditional families – in the areas of:

• Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney)
• Probate Administration and Litigation
• Business Succession
• Charitable Planning
• Family Wealth Planning
• Trust creation, revision, administration, fiduciary compliance 
  
  

“Part of what makes me unique is the way my experience aligns with my clients’ needs,” says Susan. “I work with estates of all sizes on behalf of clients including many blended and non-traditional families, and they benefit directly not just from the more than 20 years of legal experience I bring to the table, but my past experience in CPA and financial firms and my ongoing work in trust administration."

Estate planning, for example, needs to integrate a client’s goals, lifestyle, financial asset and tax character, and other needs. Susan’s experience enables her to work closely with her clients’ investment, tax and insurance advisors to create plans that meet those requirements. Further, her deep familiarity with trust administration makes her aware of how the nuances of estate plan drafting can entail unintended consequences later. 

Susan focuses on estate planning and probate for business owners, executives, professionals, and families who inherit generational wealth. She also works closely with blended and non-traditional families whose needs are often not addressed by today’s legal framework and tax codes. In the face of ever-changing tax regulations and economic volatility, she customizes her strategies to assist clients in matters ranging from transitioning a business to the next generation, to reducing estate taxes, protecting assets, or preparing a simple will for a newly married couple.

In addition to working with wealth issues, Susan provides legal services to trust departments in banks and other firms to provide outsourced trust, legal and regulatory issues. 

Before entering private practice, Susan served as President and CEO of ING National Trust, which was regulated by the Federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). She has also worked in various financial and tax planning roles in trust departments for regional and national financial firms. Finally, as a consultant at a regional CPA firm, she worked with individuals, professionals and business owners regarding estate tax and business succession issues.

A sought after educator for continuing education credit or simply for client information and sales ideas.  See the following:

• Coming January 2014: "Revocable Trusts" with National Business Institute
• Business Exit Strategy
• Preparing a MN and Federal Estate Tax Return, Foxmoor Education Services
• The Complete Trust Course, Foxmoor Education Services