Bio

Barbara Wheaton concentrates her legal practice on estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable giving, and related disciplines. Barbara's clients include high net worth individuals, business owners, family offices, charities, and fiduciaries. She represents her clients' interests in probate proceedings involving trustee or executor duties, guardianships, trust administration and reformation, and contested estate administrations. Barbara also works extensively with nonprofit organizations, helping them obtain and retain their tax exempt status. She provides effective solutions to the tax and regulatory problems frequently confronting private foundations and public charities. Barbara speaks frequently to nonprofit boards about best governance practices and tax compliance. Barbara provides sophisticated, solution-driven estate planning services to high net worth individuals and their families. She frequently works with individuals who have special estate planning considerations, such as substantial real estate holdings, closely held businesses, retirement plan assets, intellectual property, and special family considerations. Barbara regularly employs advanced tax planning techniques to meet effectively her clients' personal, tax, and strategic objectives. Barbara is a strong advocate for her clients in proceedings in the Probate Court. Barbara also provides expert witness services in cases involving fiduciary duties, contested estates, and complex estate and gift tax matters. Barbara frequently defends estates, trusts and individuals in audits with the IRS and Maine Revenue Services on estate and gift tax issues and related income tax concerns. Barbara regularly develops charitable entities to advance her clients' tax reduction and philanthropic initiatives, creatively tailoring the organizational structures, governance provisions, and tax characteristics of such entities to meet the particular strategic needs of the client.