Meet The Team
Scott’s practice focuses primarily on estate tax planning and business succession matters for ultra high net worth families, with the majority between $25MM – $500MM+.
Scott’s early and extensive experience at a Tier 1 nationally ranked law firm in Chicago as well as in his current role as a leader of the trusts and estates group at Duggan Bertsch has provided him with the expertise necessary to navigate complex estate tax matters, difficult business succession matters and the interactions therefrom in all types of corporate transactional (M&A) and family business dispute matters.
The majority of Scott’s clients have significant estate tax exposures from multi-generational wealth (primarily for medium and large closely owned family businesses across the spectrum of manufacturing, construction, real estate, agriculture, technology, etc.) as well as corporate executives and all other families who need sophisticated estate tax expertise.
In addition to his law degree, Scott is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and received his post-doctorate Masters in Taxation (LL.M.) from Northwestern. He is one of only two known estate tax attorneys in the State of Iowa with this additional post-Juris Doctorate (JD) training and the sole attorney in Iowa with material training (5 years) at a Tier 1 (over 1,000 attorney) law firm in a major city (Chicago) primarily representing ultra high net wealth clients.
Scott is one of the five owners of Duggan Bertsch, roughly a 100 person law firm that is focused on representing private clients in the areas of estate tax, business succession and general family office representation.
While Scott resides with his family in West Des Moines, Iowa, his team of roughly 10 attorneys and 5 paralegals primarily practice out of the Chicago office of Duggan Bertsch.
Scott is passionate about bringing the level of sophistication he has garnered over the course of his career to families throughout Iowa [particularly Des Moines (where he lives) and the Quad Cities (where he was born and raised)], along with his representation of a number of families across the country.
*The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize specialties in the practice of law.
Publications:
- Co-Author, “Divorce and the Family Business,” Business Entities Magazine, March/April 2007
- “The Next Generation LLC,” Insight Magazine, June 2006
Presentations:
- “Estate Tax Opportunities Prior to the Sale of a Closely-Owned Family Business”– Presented for Duff & Phelps, April 2016
- “The Evolution of the Virtual Family Office” – Leveraging technology as a platform for communication and decision making between all professionals for high net wealth families, presented for U.S. Bank, May 2013
- “Gifting Opportunities in 2012 — Leveraging the 2012 Tax Exemptions Through FLPs, FLLCs and GRATs, and Gifting Other Equity Interests, Life Insurance and Real Estate” presented for Strafford, September 2012
- “Recent Developments Including LP and LLC Valuation Cases, State Tax Decoupling and Asset Protection,” presented for First Midwest Trust, November 2009
Education:
- LL.M., Taxation, Northwestern University School of Law, 2004
- J.D., University of Iowa College of Law, 2003
- B.B.A., Accounting, University of Iowa, 2001
Certification:
- Certified Public Accountant, 2006
Admitted:
- Illinois, 2004
- U.S. Tax Court, 2005
- Iowa, 2010
Professional Activities:
- American Bar Association – Member
- American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants – Member
- Illinois State Bar Association – Member
- Chicago Bar Association – Vice Chair, YLS Taxation Division, 2005-2007
- Chicago Estate Planning Council – Member
- Chicago Iowa Club (University of Iowa) – President
- Iowa Expat Trust – Treasurer and Chicago Team Leader
Publications
Timothy Liam Epstein was referenced in the WBEZ Chicago article entitled, “Pitchfork announced more VIP tiers for its 2024 festival. The internet booed.”
Timothy Liam Epstein was referenced in the WBEZ Chicago article entitled, “Pitchfork announced more VIP tiers for its 2024 festival. The internet booed” on March 19. 2024. “A shift in attitude among younger concertgoers may be stoking the demand for VIP pricing. Tim Epstein, a sports and entertainment attorney at Chicago’s Duggan Bertsch who represents […]
Congratulations to our 2024 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars!
The Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars is an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5% of attorneys in Illinois receive this distinction. Attorneys are selected through a patented selection process involving nominations, research, and peer reviews.
Timothy Liam Epstein was featured in the Illinois College of Law Alumni Newsletter
Entrepreneurial spirit propels Epstein '04 to top of sports and entertainment field
Corporate Transparency Act – Mandatory Reporting Requirements Expected to Impact Millions of Business Entities
Background: Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) on January 1, 2021, to help prevent and combat money laundering, terrorist financing, organized crime, and other illicit activity. Effective January 1, 2024, the CTA will require most existing and newly formed corporate entities in the U.S. to file reports with the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes […]
Recent U.S. Supreme Court Case Impacts Trust Taxation
The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued its opinion on North Carolina Department of Revenue v. The Kimberley Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust, which addressed “….the limits of a State’s power to tax a trust.” This is the first time in decades the Supreme Court has addressed this issue, and its decision could have significant implications for […]
State and Local Tax Reminder about State Income Tax Residency
At DUGGAN BERTSCH, LLC, we are often asked by clients to explain the process by which a taxpayer can establish a “new” state residency for income tax purposes. Sometimes we are asked to explain the impact of moving to a new state altogether or about the impact of remaining in your current state of residence while […]
STATE AND LOCAL TAXATION REMINDER:
Our firm represents both individuals as well as numerous and varied business entities. While determining state tax obligations is always a complex process, when a taxpayer has income from sources in multiple states, the complexity greatly increases. Past considerations relied upon “physical presence” as the main factor in determining tax reporting obligations – those days have quickly […]
Timothy Liam Epstein was referenced in the Billboard article entitled, “Malaysian Fest Organizers May Sue The 1975 After Matty Healy’s LGBTQ Comments” that was published on July 25, 2023.
Timothy Liam Epstein was referenced in the Billboard article entitled, “Malaysian Fest Organizers May Sue The 1975 After Matty Healy’s LGBTQ Comments” that was published on July 25, 2023.