Law Office of Andrew L. Gradman

 

andrew@gradmantax.com

310-710-6636

About my practice 

I advise clients on tax planning.

  • I counsel individuals, businesses, and their lawyers and CPAs at key moments--entity formation, retention of key employees, sale of property, reorganization, and exit from business. 
  • I draft and review operating agreements, purchase agreements, compensation plans, etc. to identify, mitigate, and/or allocate tax risks and benefits. 
  • I prepare short research memos and detailed written opinions to reassure CPAs and investors about substantive tax obligations and filing requirements. 
  • I also have extensive experience with transfer taxation (gift, estate, GST); property taxation; and other miscellaneous state and federal taxes.

Education

  • NYU SCHOOL OF LAW, LL.M. in Taxation, May 2015-May 2016.
  • NYU STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, Advanced Professional Certificate in Law & Business.
  • COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL, J.D., 2011. Articles Editor, Science and Technology Law Review.
  • STANFORD UNIVERSITY, B.A. (History), 2006.

    State bar: California (2011); Nevada (2019).
    LA Lawyer's Philharmonic (cello)
    Volunteer, Bet Tzedek Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic

Publications

Areas of experience

No income tax topic is too obscure.  My areas of experience include: 

  • Subchapters C and S (corporations): e.g.
    • corporate mergers, tax-free reorganizations, and liquidations;
    • professional goodwill
  • Subchapter K (partnerships): e.g.
    • drafting partnership allocations & distributions;
    • structure employee equity compensation 
  • Subchapter J (trusts): e.g.
    • grantor vs. complex trusts.
  • Subchapter N (international): e.g.,
    • tax planning for non-US persons
    • tax planning for US expatriates
    • assist CPAs with foreign accounts compliance
    • FIRPTA
    • DISCs
  • Subchapters O (gain/loss), P (capital gain): e.g.,
    • reduce tax on sale of corporation using Qualified Small Business Stock
    • advise on use of cryptocurrencies in business transactions
    • recharacterize sales to maximize capital gain treatment and expedite basis recovery.
    • 1031 exchanges.
  • Subchapter Z:  Recognized expert on Qualified Opportunity Zones.
  • Subchapters A (tax credits), B (computation of TI), (D (deferred comp), E (accounting methods), F (exempt orgs), G (PHCs and AET), I (depletion of natural resources), e.g.:
    • 263A Unicap rules
    • Taxation of tax-exempt and deferred-compensation structures
    • Section 38 business credits, including R&D; LIHTC; NMTC; and IRC 46 Investment credits (rehab, energy)
    • Taxation of sophisticated financial products, e.g.: private placement life insurance contracts; derivatives; capital vs. profits interests. Experienced with taxation of annuities (private and commercial) and life insurance (including split dollar)
    • Taxation of farmers and ranchers
    • Taxation of cannabis
    • Executive compensation, including 409A
  • CA Revenue & Tax Code: e.g.,
    • allocation & apportionment.
    • assist clients emigrating to Nevada to reduce income taxes.