Milestone Certified Public Accountants logo — boutique CPA firm Pleasanton CA
Estates & Trusts

Estate planning that survives the next generation.

Trust returns, estate tax planning, GRATs, gifting strategies, and post-mortem work — for Bay Area families navigating multi-generational wealth, business transfer, and the changing estate exemption.

The Milestone Difference

Why owners switch to us.

Nationwide Practice

Multi-state work across all 50 states.

Flat-fee Engagement

Price scoped upfront. No hourly meter.

24-hour Response

Answers within one business day.

Year-Round Access

Available beyond tax season. Quarterly check-ins.

How We Work

Four steps. No mystery.

Every engagement follows the same disciplined path. You always know what is next, and you always know who is doing it.

01

Discovery Call

A complimentary 30 minutes. We scope what you actually need — and tell you straight if we are not the right fit.

02

Engagement Letter

Clear scope, deliverables, and a flat fee quoted upfront. No surprises. No hourly meter spinning in the background.

03

Onboarding & First Close

Existing trust documents reviewed. Prior fiduciary returns reviewed. Current estate exposure mapped against the $13.6M exemption.

04

Quarterly Strategy

Quarterly engagement for active gifting programs. Annual touch for trust-only relationships. Immediate engagement when life events occur (death, marriage, divorce, major liquidity).

When my mother passed, we expected a small estate. Milestone caught a basis step-up on the family property that gave us $720K of tax-free gain capacity — money our prior advisor would have had us pay tax on. They handled the 706 filing, coordinated with the estate attorney, and walked the family through every decision.

— Family Trustee, Bay Area

$8M estate · Milestone post-mortem client 2024

Questions We Get a Lot

Before we talk.

Do we need estate planning if we are under the $13.6M exemption?+

For 2026 onward, possibly — the federal exemption is scheduled to drop to ~$7M per person in 2026. Families with $10M+ in business and real estate equity should be modeling now, before the cliff. Even under the exemption, lifetime gifting can save substantial state tax.

How is this different from working with an estate attorney?+

Estate attorneys draft trusts and wills. We model the tax outcome, file the returns, and run the year-by-year strategy. Best results come from coordinated teams — we work alongside your attorney rather than replacing them.

Do you handle trust returns (Form 1041) annually?+

Yes — about 50 active trust returns per year. We coordinate K-1 distributions to beneficiaries, time distributions to minimize tax, and handle multi-year carryforward planning.

What about generation-skipping trusts and GRATs?+

Yes — we model and maintain these structures. Annual GST exemption tracking, GRAT remainder calculations, and grantor trust toggle decisions are part of ongoing engagement.

Can you handle a 706 estate tax return?+

Yes — for taxable estates ($13.6M+ in 2025) and for protective elections (portability, step-up basis confirmation) on smaller estates. About 8-12 706 filings per year.

How does charitable giving fit in?+

Charitable trusts (CRTs, CLTs), donor-advised funds, and outright gifts are all evaluated as part of estate planning. Often the most tax-efficient way to move money out of an estate while meeting family charitable goals.

An invitation

Don't see your cliff coming?

A complimentary 30-minute call. Tell us roughly what the family has and what concerns you most — we will tell you straight whether planning would help and what it would look like.

Call directly: 925-320-0309