Sean M. Colonna

Sean counsels clients on various sophisticated tax and estate planning matters, including complex gift and transfer tax planning for high net worth individuals through the use of irrevocable trusts, insurance planning, non-profit and philanthropic gifting. He understands the importance of predeath planning and develops estate, tax, and succession planning techniques to fit each clients’ specific needs.

Entrepreneurs and owners of closely held companies seek Sean’s advice on various business matters, including entity formation, buy-sell agreements, licensing, tax, shareholder agreements, promissory notes, and intrafamily transfers of business interests.  To assure the transition of generational businesses, Sean has tailored his practice to align clients’ personal estate planning documents with business succession and management continuity plans for a seamless transfer in the event of death or incapacity.

Sean also commits a portion of his practice representing beneficiaries and fiduciaries in post-death administration of estates and trusts, including real estate transactions, generational wealth distributions, winding up businesses, strategic distribution of retirement accounts for beneficial tax treatment, and the preparation of fiduciary, estate, and gift and generation-skipping tax returns.

Sean’s litigation experience includes representing institutional fiduciaries, professional fiduciaries, families, beneficiaries, and other trustees and personal representatives in contested probate estates, wills, trusts, guardianship, and conservatorship proceedings. He has extensive experience successfully pursuing and defending claims involving undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, joint accounts, trust decanting, reformation and interpretation, fee disputes, quiet title actions and related litigation matters.