MONTGOMERY COUNTY ESTATE PLANNING COUNCIL OF PA

The sale or succession of a closely-held or family business is among the most monumental decisions in a client’s personal and professional life. The 2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report by the Exit Planning Institute estimates that over 70% of privately-held U.S. companies plan to transition within the next ten years, equaling a $14 trillion transfer opportunity. While exit strategy education and transition readiness is improving, clients need trusted, knowledgeable and collaborative advisors to assist them in considering and implementing holistic tax, financial and estate planning strategies prior to and after the exit of a closely-held business interest. Following the 2024 United States Presidential Election, and United States Congressional Elections, closely-held business owners may have more questions than answers in early 2025, given the changing federal government administration and potentially sunsetting tax laws. In this panel discussion, a multidisciplinary team of advisors will present multiple client hypotheticals to illustrate some of the various tax, financial and estate planning tools and considerations for families considering the exit and transition of a closely-held business, including, but not limited to, entity re-organization and structuring, tax elections, estate and charitable planning, income tax mitigation and deferral opportunities, and exit strategies.

Speaker Bios:

Rachel Keiser, CPA, MT (she/her) is a Tax Partner with Armanino and leads the firm’s Private Client Advisors tax practice in the Philadelphia region.  She advises successful individuals and families, and their closely held businesses, on strategic income tax and wealth transfer planning, business tax planning, trust and estate taxation issues, and charitable gift planning.  Rachel uses a holistic approach to tax and wealth transfer planning to ensure all aspects and needs of the client and their family are considered.  She earned her B.A. in Accounting with a minor in French from Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA, and her Master’s in Taxation degree from Villanova University.  Rachel is a member of the Forum of Executive Women and serves on the boards of Philadelphia Ballet, the Estate & Financial Planning Council of Southern New Jersey, and the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council.

Peter E. Moshang, Esq., (he/him) is a Wealth Planner in the Philadelphia Private Banking office of Brown Brothers Harriman.  Peter provides guidance to families and individuals on all aspects of their estate planning, including generational transfer of family wealth, business succession, philanthropy, next generation education and tax minimization.  Previously, Peter was a Partner in private legal practice at Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager, P.C., where he focused his practice on estate and gift planning, estate and trust administration and closely held business succession planning.  Peter currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Philadelphia Bar’s Probate and Trust Law Section and serves as Vice Chair of the IRA Plans & Distributions Committee for the American Bar Association Real Property Trusts & Estate Section.  Peter is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida, and is a member of the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Montgomery County Bar Associations.  He is also a member of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council and Montgomery County Estate Planning Council.  Peter was named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, and was named Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for 2023.  Peter received his B.A. in Political Science and Economics, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Richmond, and his J.D., cum laude, from Boston University School of Law, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Law & Medicine.

Brian M. Balduzzi, Esq., LL.M. (Tax), MBA, CFP®, CEPA®, AEP® (he/him) is an attorney in the Private Client Group at Faegre Drinker in its Philadelphia, Princeton, and New York offices. Brian specializes in sophisticated estate and wealth transfer planning, helping business owners and their families prepare for transitions, exits and succession. He also advises clients on estate and gift tax exemption strategies, business planning, real estate, charitable planning, prenuptial and divorce planning, estate and trust administration, and fiduciary litigation. Brian blends his background in psychology and education, as well as business and nonprofit law, to assist families with important conversations and planning for their financial and legal needs. In 2019, Brian was selected as an ABA Real Property Trusts & Estate (ABA RPTE) Fellow, and, in 2021, as an American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Young Leader Fellow. For the ABA RPTE Section, he serves as the Chair of the IRA Plans & Distributions Committee, Vice Chair of the Financial Planning and Risk Management Committee, Vice Chair of the DEI Committee, and Council Member. Brian is also an active member of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council on multiple committees and speaker as part of their Roundtable program. He serves as a Senior Articles Editor for the Journal of Tax and Estate Planning through the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils and Financial Planning Column Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs Journal. He has previously been honored as a Pennsylvania City and State Forty Under 40, Al DIA 40 Under Forty, Rainbow Revolutionary Distinguished Alumni, Philadelphia KEEPER, American Bar Association Top Forty Lawyers – On the Rise, and Boston University School of Law Young Alumni Chair Awardee. He also serves as a tax, business law, estate planning, accounting and finance adjunct professor for multiple undergraduate, graduate, law school and doctoral programs. Brian received his B.A. in English, Secondary Education and Theatre, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from SUNY Geneseo; his JD/Tax LL.M. from Boston University School of Law; and his MBA with a Minor in Real Estate from Cornell University where he was selected as a Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow. He is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Florida, and he is in the process of waiving into South Dakota.

Thank you to our generous sponsor The Montgomery County Foundation Inc.