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Thomas F. Sweeney

Of Counsel
fax +1 248.988.2327

Thomas F. Sweeney assists clients in the planning and administration of revocable and irrevocable trusts and estates, and related entities including the design and implementation of estate plans, including tax, probate avoidance, and investment strategy planning.

Tom has extensive experience with Federal and state income and transfer taxation (gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer) affecting trusts, estates, and individuals. He is actively involved in the planning and administration of revocable and irrevocable trusts and estates, and related entities including the design and implementation of estate plans, including tax, probate avoidance, and investment strategy planning. He also has substantial experience in trust and estate dispute resolution involving the issues of testamentary capacity, undue influence, valuation of assets, and related matters.

Education

J.D., University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1968
A.B., University of Michigan, Michigan, 1965

Recognitions

2019 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award

Best Lawyers in America

dBusiness Top Lawyers

Super Lawyers

Named a Leading Lawyer in Birmingham by Leading Lawyers℠ (2013-2025)

Memberships

State Bar of Michigan, Probate and Estate Planning Section, Taxation Section

Oakland County Bar Association, Taxation Committee

Baldwin Public Library, Elected Member, Past-President

Birmingham Rotary Club Endowment Fund, Inc., Board Member

City of Birmingham Charter Review Commission

Community House Association, Board Member

State Bar Licenses

Michigan

Court Admissions

U.S. Tax Court
U.S. Supreme Court
Undue Influence and Vulnerable Adults, American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section (2020)
What Every Estate Planner Should Know About Undue Influence: Recognizing It, Insulating/Planning Against It…. And Litigating It, Bloomberg BNA Tax Management Memorandum, Vol. 56, No. 11 (June 2015)
Confronting Undue Influence in your Practice? Industry experts weigh in on how to take an increasingly pervasive issue - Trusts & Estates; The Wealth Management.com Journal (July 2015)
Probable Cause Exception to the Enforcement of Will and Trust In Terrorem Clauses: Determining the Factors in Applying the Exception and Considering Opportunities for an Early Determination of Whether the Exception Has Been Satisfied (January 2013)
Articles
Presentations

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