Transactional Tax Planning & Tax Controversy

Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek’s tax attorneys act as a “private client group” for affluent clients, advising them on the financial and legal decisions involving the use and protection of their assets. Tax planning is a critical element of almost every transaction and/or investment and offers an opportunity to add value and minimize financial risk.

We respect the value of our clients’ time and work efficiently to ensure that deals close on time without sacrificing excellent results. Our tax attorneys work on the tax aspects of transactions of all forms and sizes, from family transactions involving relatively small amounts to corporate sales transactions well into the millions of dollars. We ensure that our clients comply with tax-related disclosure obligations in the context of public and private debt and equity offerings and other transactions. We also advise clients on a variety of international business activities and tax matters and always ensure that our clients’ interests are fully maximized.

Working closely with clients, we help them with both planning and advice on a wide range of tax issues including:

  • Forming, operating, and dissolving “C” and “S” corporations; partnerships; and limited liability companies
  • Providing employees with tax-exempt fringe benefits and tax-deferred retirement incentives
  • Planning regarding real property dispositions, including tax-deferred “like-kind” exchanges; involuntary conversions; and property tax reassessment
  • Compensation planning, including incentive, qualified, and “phantom” stock options; and equity-based compensation for partnerships and limited liability companies
  • Use and appropriateness of trusts, including Charitable Remainder Trusts, “Defective” Grantor Trusts, Grantor Retained Trusts, and Qualified Personal Residence Trusts
  • Sophisticated family tax planning to minimize - or eliminate - gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes
  • Forming, operating, and dissolving tax-exempt entities, including public charities, private foundations, and private operating foundations
  • Handling specialized tax filings, including: 
    • Estate tax returns (Form 706)
    • Fiduciary income tax returns (Form 1041/541)
    • Gift tax returns (Form 709)
  • International tax planning
  • Tax audits, including representing clients at all levels: local, state, and federal representation in tax controversies, including federal, state, and local tax litigation and property tax matters

News

Brian Katusian Named Among San Diego’s Men of Influence

Congratulations to SCMV Shareholder Brian Katusian for being named among SD Metro Magazine’s Men of Influence for 2023. Brian's outstanding contributions as one of the region’s top…

Learn More

Brian Katusian Authors Annual Update of CEB Publication (February 2023 Edition)

SCMV attorney Brian Katusian has authored two chapter updates in the CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) February 2023 edition of “Financing and Protecting California Businesses.”…

Learn More

SCMV Welcomes New Associate

SCMV announces that Christopher T. Angelich has joined the firm a an associate. Christopher joined SCMV’s Business Department as a law clerk in 2021. He represents clients primarily in the…

Learn More

SCMV Earns Top Rankings on “Best Law Firms” 2022 List

Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek is pleased to announce that the firm has received top rankings in San Diego for real estate litigation, real estate law and tax law from U.S. News – Best…

Learn More

10 SCMV Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022

We are proud to announce that 10 SCMV attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2022 edition. Attorneys named to the list are recognized for…

Learn More

Brian Katusian Named Among San Diego’s Top Attorneys

Congratulations to Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek Shareholder Brian Katusian for being named among SD Metro Magazine’s Top Attorneys for 2021. A Certified Legal Specialist in Taxation Law by…

Learn More

Brian Katusian Authors Annual Update of CEB Publication

Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek Shareholder Brian Katusian has authored the annual chapter updates to two chapters in the Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) 2021 edition of “Financing and…

Learn More

San Diego Business Journal Women in Law Profile: Rhonda Crandall

Rhonda Crandall, a shareholder at Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, has over two decades of experience in tax and estate planning. Her legal practice is split between estate planning and administration…

Learn More

Nine SCMV attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021

We’re proud to announce that nine SCMV attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021 edition. Attorneys named to the list are recognized for…

Learn More

IRS Increasing Scrutiny of Private Foundations

IRS Officials recently indicated that its Tax Exempt and Government Entities (TEGE) Division trained more than 400 agents on the use of private foundations for tax planning for high-net-worth…

Learn More

Ricardo Arias Selected as 2020 Rising Star

Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek is pleased to announce that attorney Ricardo Arias has been selected for the 2020 San Diego Rising Stars list by his peers and the editors of Super Lawyers Magazine.…

Learn More

2020 San Diego Super Lawyers & Rising Stars

SCMV is proud to announce that four of our attorneys were selected for inclusion on the 2020 San Diego Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers are outstanding lawyers from more than 70…

Learn More

IRS and Franchise Tax Board Provide COVID-19 Tax Relief

On March 13, 2020, the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) announced special tax relief for California taxpayers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Affected taxpayers are granted an extension to file 2019…

Learn More

2019 Annual Income Tax Seminar

Brian Katusian, Shareholder at SCMV and Chair of the Income and Other Taxes Committee of the California Lawyers Association (CLA) Taxation Section, will chair the CLA 2019 Annual Income Tax Seminar…

Learn More

SCMV Attorneys Author Annual CEB Publication

SCMV attorneys Lawrence Branton and Brian Katusian have co-authored two chapters in the CEB (Continuing Education of the Bar) 2019 edition of “Financing and Protecting California…

Learn More

2019 San Diego Super Lawyers & Rising Stars

SCMV is proud to announce that six of our attorneys were selected for inclusion on the 2019 San Diego Super Lawyers list. Super Lawyers are outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who…

Learn More

Transactional Tax Planning and Tax Controversy

The end of the year is when many people start thinking about their taxes. At Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, we encourage our clients to think about taxes year-round. Tax planning is a critical…

Learn More

SCMV Named to 2019 “Best Law Firms” List

SCMV has been selected for inclusion in the 2019 “Best Law Firms” rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Firms included on the annual list are recognized for their professional…

Learn More

SCMV Attorneys Comment on Proposed IRS Regulations Regarding Qualified Business Income Deduction

SCMV shareholder Brian Katusian has led a team of other members of the California Lawyers Association Taxation Section, in preparing and submitting recent comments to the IRS and the Treasury…

Learn More

SCMV Attorneys Named Among The Best Lawyers in America

SCMV is proud to announce that The Best Lawyers in America© has selected eight SCMV attorneys for inclusion in its 2019 edition. SCMV Shareholder Dennis Wickham was also recognized as…

Learn More

Brian Katusian comments on Proposed IRS Tax Preparer Regulations

As Vice Chair of the Income and Other Taxes Committee of the California Lawyers Association Taxation Section, SCMV shareholder Brian Katusian has co-written a comment paper to the Internal Revenue…

Learn More

2018 Annual Income Tax Seminar

Brian Katusian, shareholder at SCMV and a member of the firm’s Transactional Tax Planning & Tax Controversy practice group, as Vice Chair of the Income and Other Taxes Committee of the…

Learn More

SCMV’s Certified Legal Specialists

A certified specialist is more than just an attorney who practices in a particular area of law. The State Bar Legal Specialization program is a method for attorneys to earn the designation of…

Learn More

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could significantly impact your future business, personal and estate tax planning. Most of the Act had an effective date of January 1, 2018, and many of its provisions…

Learn More
Subscribe to Legal Alerts