Overview
Rick McKenzie has a sophisticated and wide-ranging estates and trusts practice.
Areas of Practice:
Estates & Trusts
Taxation
Business Organizations & Transactions
Admissions:
Alabama State Bar
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama
U.S. Tax Court
Member:
Montgomery County Bar Association
American Bar Association
Member, Sections on Taxation; Real Property, Probate and Trust Law
Alabama State Bar
Member, Sections on Taxation, Real Estate Property, Probate & Trust, Elder Law
Montgomery Estate Planning Council
Board Member
Biography
B.A., Davidson College, 1976
J.D., University of Alabama, 1979
LL.M. in Taxation, University of Miami, 1980
Outside of the office, Rick McKenzie is a member of the volunteer executive board and past council president of the Tukabatchee Area Council of the Boy Scouts. He is also a past vestry member and Senior Warden of the Church of the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church.
Experience
Rick McKenzie has a sophisticated and wide-ranging estates and trusts practice. Mr. McKenzie is a member of the Estates and Trusts practice group and counsels individuals and families in all aspects of estate planning, asset protection and business succession, including the design and drafting of legal documents to achieve both tax and non-tax motivated objectives.
Among the estate planning instruments, Rick McKenzie prepares are wills, revocable trusts (living trusts), irrevocable trusts, dynasty or “perpetual” trusts (GST exempt trusts), family limited partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), charitable remainder trusts, and charitable lead trusts. Mr. McKenzie also assists clients with charitable gift agreements, premarital agreements, powers of attorney and living wills.
Rick McKenzie also represents closely-held businesses in all aspects of formation & operation, including corporations, partnership agreements, limited liability company agreements, shareholder agreements, management succession plans and buy-sell agreements. When necessary, Mr. McKenzie represents clients in estate and gift tax disputes with the Internal Revenue Service.
Rick MMcKenzie advises fiduciaries (executors and trustees) on all aspects of estate and trust administration, including probate administration, preparation of state and Federal estate tax returns, preparation of accountings, and termination and distribution of estates and trusts. He also represents fiduciaries and individual clients in a variety of trust and estate litigation, including controversies over will and trust construction and alleged breaches of fiduciary responsibilities.
Rick McKenzie also has significant experience and expertise in the tax aspects of real estate transactions and the tax aspects of executive compensation plans, equity-based compensation arrangements and qualified employee benefit plans. He is designated by the National Association of Estate Planners and councils as an Accredited Estate Planner.