Overview
Chris McGann helps clients achieve their estate planning and wealth preservation goals, often incorporating more sophisticated trust planning designed to minimize or eliminate death taxes. Chris also represents estate and trust fiduciaries, working with them throughout the administration process and addressing and handling litigation issues as they arise.
Estate & Trust Planning
Recognizing that each client’s circumstances are unique, Chris crafts estate plans aimed at preserving wealth and minimizing taxes. He works with advisors and agents to ensure proper titling of assets and designation of beneficiaries. Collaborating with clients and their financial advisors and accountants, Chris ensures a cohesive estate plan.
He advises on the advantages and practicality of establishing testamentary and revocable trusts; and the long-term benefits of settling various types of irrevocable trusts, such as life insurance trusts, supplemental needs trusts, spousal lifetime access trusts and dynasty trusts. Chris also incorporates disclaimer and marital/nonmarital with Clayton QTIP election provisions into trust planning to minimize or eliminate state and/or federal death taxes.
Family Business Owners
Because a family-run business is often one of the most valuable assets — if not the most valuable asset — comprising a family’s wealth, Chris assists business owners to ensure their foundational corporate documents are prepared and regularly maintained. Chris’s counseling includes ensuring buy-sell provisions are in place, life insurance is incorporated as appropriate, and properly structured trusts are established to own S corporation shares.
Estate & Trust Administration
Having a background in family law, Chris can recognize and navigate unresolved familial disputes, and he works closely with the firm’s litigation department to ensure the client’s interests are protected. He represents estate fiduciaries and guides executors throughout the estate administration and probate process, advising on the preparation of fiduciary tax returns, resolving inheritance tax disputes with the taxing authorities, and settling the estate, whether informally or through the court system. He also assists trustees with the dissolution of a trust, preparation of trust accounting, and issuance of final receipts and releases.
Personal Interests
Outside the office, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, tackling DIY projects, and following the New York Rangers and Yankees.
Related Legal Services
Credentials
Bar Admissions
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Clerkships
Superior Court of New Jersey, Family Division, Hon. Margaret Goodzeit, 2011-2012
Education
Villanova University School of Law
LL.M. in Taxation, Certificate in Estate Planning (2022)
Rutgers School of Law
J.D. Rutgers Law Journal (articles editor) (2011)
University of Maryland
B.A. in Political Science and Government (2008)
Leadership & Community
Professional Associations
- Somerset County Business Partnership
Honors
- Best Lawyers®— “Ones to Watch,” Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, 2024
This award is conferred by Best Lawyers. A description of the methodology is available here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
- Super Lawyers — “New Jersey Rising Stars,” 2022-23
This award is conferred by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology is available here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.