Tax Law

Stanaland & Associates have attorneys with experience and deep knowledge about the details and implications of the Federal and California tax laws. We are skilled at providing counsel, guidance and aggressive representation for clients with tax controversy issues before state and federal agencies and in court during appeals if such action becomes necessary.

We specialize in the various arenas of tax, including:

• Income Tax
• Estate Tax
• Gift Tax
• Excise Tax
• Property Tax
• Employment Tax

We can help you plan to only pay the taxes your legally owe. Whether your situation is an individual or business matter, we stand prepared to be your advocate during:

• Tax Court petitions and representation
• IRS and California Franchise Tax Board audits
• The appeals process with the IRS and the Franchise Tax Board or the Board of Equalization
• Business formations tax implications
• Tax considerations of the sale or merger of a business
• Exposure assessment and planning for the federal estate tax
• Employment taxes consultation and compliance
• Preparation of gift and estate tax returns
• Property tax considerations

Stanaland & Associates offer experienced and aggressive representation to those facing audits. Our goal is to ensure government auditors have all of the facts they need that support your position. And in these difficult times, we will seek negotiations with the IRS so you can organize your finances to meet your obligations. With tax regulations deeply impacting all business, estate, and personal transactions, it is critical to have a powerful advocate who not only knows the law, but who will be able to advise you on the possible tax implications of your options.

Contact us at 415-781-4000 for a free consultation.

If you require tax preparation or accounting services please contact our affiliated firm of Certified Public Accountants at stanalandtax.com.

Probate & Trust

Navigating the complexities of a probate proceeding or a trust administration can be daunting, at best.  An unguided executor or personal representative of an estate can easily encounter costly time consuming procedural delays.  However, mismanaging an estate can end up costing you much more than time if estate assets are improperly handled. The court may find the personal representative personally liable for unreasonably mismanagement. Why take the risk?

At Stanaland & Associates, our trust and probate attorneys specialize at helping you with every aspect of your probate proceeding and estate administration.

We are sensitive to the decisions that our clients need to make to protect the estate, whether the aggressors are creditors or contentious family members.  In the event a conflict is unavoidable during the course of the proceeding, we are experienced in the specialized practice areas of trust and probate litigation.

Furthermore, we have accomplished tax attorneys available to help guide you through processing the final tax returns for the individual and for the estate.  Our senior partner, Russell Stanaland, has the unusual distinction of being not only a board-certified public accountant and an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University, but he also is a “Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.”

This enables our San Francisco probate lawyers to provide you with advice based on a rare depth of knowledge and experience on such matters as:

• Estate planning and drafting
• Revocable Trusts and Wills
• Advanced Health Care Directives
• Irrevocable Trusts
• Estate Inventory and Accounting
• Creditor Negotiations
• Trust Administration
• Trust and Probate Litigation
• Real Estate Transactions

At Stanaland & Associates, you will receive the best advice and counsel to help you achieve your planning and litigation goals. Contact us at 415-781-4000 for a free consultation.

Real Estate

Our firm has a deep and long experience in handling real estate transactions in the State of California. From the most straight-forward transaction to the most complex negotiations, you can expect only the very best advice and guidance from the San Francisco real estate attorneys of Stanaland & Associates. Our experience includes:

• Real Estate Partnerships & LLP’s: By definition, a partnership is a legal relationship between two or more entities. The relationship is contractually defined as joint principals in a business. An LLP is a form of business that, while a partnership, limits the liability of the partners. In real estate, a partnership can have many applications. It is critical to have a legal document drawn up that spells out all the rights and responsibilities of the various partners. It is important to have a real estate contract attorney who represents your interests to assist you in hammering out the details of these contracts.
• Tax Deferred Exchanges: A tax deferred exchange involves the exchange of certain types of property that may defer the recognition of capital gains or losses that would be due upon the sale. As a result, any capital gains taxes otherwise due are deferred. To understand whether or not your property transfer qualifies or even whether this type of exchange is right for you, it is imperative that you have an excellent grounding in not only real estate law but in the tax laws, both federal and state. The real estate attorneys of Stanaland & Associates have such expertise.
• Commercial and Residential Sales: Whenever any property is purchased or sold there are all kinds of issues that can arise. One way to limit potential problems it is critical to handle the necessary steps in the purchase/sale in a timely and legally correct fashion. The correctcommerical real estate attorney or residential real estate lawyer can provide you with the guidance, assistance, and advocacy to allow your purchase or sale of property go as smoothly as possible and result in a good outcome.
• Commercial and Residential Leases: As with commercial and residential sales, commercial and residential leases have many potential pitfalls. As a landlord or tenant, you want to ensure that your rights and responsibilities are spelled out accurately and completely in any lease. You want to ensure that your interests are protected as much as possible. At Stanaland & Associates our residential real estate attorneys and commercial real estate lawyers have the expertise in the real estate lease area to provide you with the guidance you will need to see this transaction occurs in the most positive manner.
• Ownership and Management Problems of Co-Tenancies and Family Partnerships: If you are involved in the ownership and management of a co-tenancy or family partnership, you know that while it is good to share the risk and responsibility of real estate investments, it also can present challenges even under the best of circumstances. We at Stanaland & Associates are well versed in these types of arrangements and can provide you with our expertise in drawing up the documents that can define these relationships and responsibilities to allow for the best possible understanding of the rights and responsibilities of the parties.

Contact us at 415-781-4000 for a free consultation.

Business

Business Law is a general title for the area of the law that encompasses all areas impacting a business.  At Stanaland & Associates we are specialists in business transactions in the State of California. Our San Francisco business attorneys have the expertise and understanding to stand by your side, counsel and assist you in negotiating, drafting, and executing business agreements. Our experience and know-how includes, but is by no means limited to:

• Purchase and Sale Agreements:Purchase and Sale Agreements are legal binding contracts that create obligations on all parties. As such, it is critical that anyone entering into such a contract receive legal advice from a business attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area who is well versed in all the intricacies of such documents.
• Buy-Sell/Employment Agreements: Buy-Sell Agreements are documents that provide continuity of business ownership when specific events occur (i.e., death, or disability of owner). In effect, a Buy-Sell Agreement is a contract between shareholders or partners regarding the future ownership of the business. Obviously, such a document is of great importance to any business, but because different people’s interests are involved it is very important that all parties be represented by counsel so that they have an advocate who can look out for their interests. We, at Stanaland & Associates, have extensive experience in this area and will provide you with the advice and counsel that you need when creating such a document and to tailor it to work in conjunction with your estate plan.
• Merger/Acquisitions: These terms refer to the aspect of corporate strategy, finance, and management that deals with the buying, selling, and combining of different companies. This can help a company to grow rapidly. The negotiations required to buy or sell or merge two companies are complex and have legal and tax implications in addition to business complexities. Legal advice is paramount throughout the planning and execution of these agreements. Stanaland & Associates pride ourselves on providing clients with only the best counsel possible.
• Corporations/S Corporations/LLCs/Partnerships: Choosing the type of legal structure for a new business can be overwhelming for small business owners. Corporations and limited liability companies (known as LLCs) are frequently the preferred business structure because they offer liability protection to the owners (unlike sole proprietorships and partnerships). However, there are different kinds of corporations. Partnerships, LLCs, and S Corporations are similar but not identical. While they are both corporations and provide the liability protection that is usually sought, it is important to speak to a business attorney who understands the intricacies of these kinds of structures so that you can receive the best advice possible.
• Contracts: A contract is a legal document which creates legal obligations on the parties signing it. The parties make promises to each other that are enforceable in a court of law.
• Closely held and family owned businesses: A closely held or family owned business is generally a private company in which there are one or two majority stockholders and a number of minority stockholders. These companies have very specific rules governing the rights and obligations of the shareholders, including when and to whom they can sell their stock. Clearly, it is critical that these contracts be drawn up and discussed with a San Francisco small business lawyer  who is well-versed in how these work and who will advocate on your behalf.

We work with our clients to be proactive so as to avoid future problems. You can look to us to provide the guidance you need in matters involving your business. At Stanaland & Associates, our business law attorneys are specialists and as such will listen to your goals and ask the appropriate questions to ensure that all legal considerations are evaluated in making the critical business decisions that you face.

Contact us at 415-781-4000 for a free consultation.

Estate Planning

Planning your estate is not only something you need to do for your family, but it can also have serious tax implications. Estate planning is not simply making a Will anymore.  There are many other legal instruments employed to accomplish a client’s goals for their family while minimizing the tax implications.  At  Stanaland & Associates, our estate attorneys specialize at helping you meet your financial and estate planning goals while minimizing any adverse tax implications.

We are sensitive to the decisions that our clients need to make to provide for their families. We have accomplished tax attorneys to help guide you through the process. Our senior partner, Russell Stanaland, has the unusual distinction of being not only a board-certified public accountant and an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University, but he also is a “Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.”

Mr. Stanalands knowledge and tutelage enables our San Francisco estate planning lawyers to provide you with advice based on a rare depth of knowledge and experience on such matters as:

• Revocable Trusts (“Living” Trusts)
• Irrevocable Trusts
• Grantor Retained Annuity and Uni-Trusts (GRATs and GRUTs)
• Charitable Remainder Trust (CRATs and CRUTs)
• Self Canceling Installment Notes (SCINs)
• Wills and Pour-Over Wills
• Advanced Health Care Directive
• Powers of attorney – financial/healthcare
• Family Limited partnership
• Probate and trust administration
• Grantor Retained Trusts
• Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRT)
• Preparation of gift and estate tax returns

At Stanaland & Associates, you can be assured of receiving the best advice and counsel to achieve your estate planning goals. Contact us at 415-781-4000 for a free consultation.