Deirdre R. Wheatley-Liss, Esq.
Deirdre R. Wheatley-Liss divides her practice between representation of business owners and their businesses, counselling individuals and families, and advising non-profit entities.
Ms. Wheatley-Liss counsels business owners on legal and structural issues related to start-up, financing, growth and exit strategy. As a tax attorney, she always keeps an eye on minimizing a business owner's "silent partner" – the IRS. She also advises on director and officer (D&O) liability issues, including business succession and break-ups. By creating the most efficient organizational structures and contractual arrangements during the infancy and growth of a business she has helped clients keep hundreds of thousands of dollars in their pockets upon the sale of the mature business.
To educate both the public and the legal community about issues relating to business ownerships, Ms. Wheatley-Liss is a frequent lecturer to professionals and the public on topics related to start-up, intellectual property, employee and independent contractor issues, wealth transfer, tax minimization, business succession planning and cybersecurity.
Ms. Wheatley-Liss helps organizations to meet regulatory requirements by assessing current data privacy and cybersecurity policies against best practice frameworks. Deirdre provides counseling pertaining to policies and pre-incident planning, in order to minimize loss in the case of a potential breach. She is a frequent lecturer on best practices and corporate governance as related to privilege and cybersecurity.
The core of Ms. Wheatley-Liss' practice is protecting the wealth her clients have earned and created over a lifetime – from taxes, long-term care costs, ill-equipped beneficiaries, divorce, lawsuits and mis-management by others. To do this she focuses on educating clients about how to make the legal system work to help them meet their goals and then carry out that plan. This may include creating wills and trusts, tax planning, advising an executor of an estate, representing a beneficiary in a disputed estate, crafting a long-term care asset protection plan, elder law counseling, special needs planning or guardianships.
Ms. Wheatley-Liss devotes time to educating the public and professional communities as well. She is an in-demand speaker on estate planning, elder law and special needs planning. She has blogged at New Jersey Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog, a leading commentary on developments in tax law, estate planning, estate administration, elder law and business law. Ms. Wheatley-Liss is the author of the published book "Plan Your Own Estate" and is working on a second book about Elder Law and Asset Protection Planning.
Non-profit entities, whether educational institutions, community groups or family foundations, have unique needs and must meet stringent tax rules to maintain their non-profit status. Ms. Wheatley-Liss counsels these clients to educate them about those rules, develop strategies and best practices to meet their charitable goals, assist with tax filings and advocate before the IRS and tax authorities.
Ms. Wheatley-Liss' continuous pursuit of knowledge distinguishes her from other practitioners in her fields. She has an LL.M in Taxation, an advanced legal degree. She is also accredited as a Certified Elder Law Attorney, by the American Bar Association approved National Elder Law Foundation, one of fewer than 100 attorneys in New Jersey with this credential. She hones her knowledge through continuous legal and business education to share "best practice" strategies with her clients.
Ms. Wheatley-Liss is active in the local business community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, chair at the Morris Members Council, advisor to the Women in Business Committee and Board Member of Business Owners Exchange. She serves on the Estate Planning Council of Northern New Jersey, Co-Chairs the Tax, Trust, Estate and Elder Law Committee of the Morris County Bar Association and is Vice-Chair of the Tax Steering Committee of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys. She acts as a legal advisor to several local non-profit organizations created to support various populations in New York and New Jersey.