PRACTICE AREAS : Estate, Trust & Wealth Preservation , Corporate & Business Transactions , Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Joseph Ott’s practice areas include estate and gift tax planning and estate and trust litigation. His estate and gift tax planning practice focuses on preparation of sophisticated estate planning documents and administration of estates and trusts. He also advises individual and qualified corporate fiduciaries in trust and estate taxation issues and guides fiduciary administration of trusts and estates. Joseph advises privately-held businesses on numerous aspects of business operations, including business succession and intra-family business wealth transfers.
Joseph litigates disputes that arise from the death or incompetency of family members. This includes fiduciary litigation and risk mitigation for individual and corporate fiduciaries in complex family disputes. Examples of matters that he handles include:
Will and Trust Contests
Trust Constructions
Financial Exploitation of the Elderly or Disabled Cases
Fraudulent Bequests and Gifts to Caregiver Cases
Statutory Custodial Care Claims
Breach of Fiduciary Duty Cases
Removal of Executor and Trustee Actions
Modifying and Terminating Trusts
Conflicts regarding Taxable and Non-taxable Gifts
Probate and Trust Creditor Claims
Trust Decanting Actions
Fraudulent Asset Transfer Actions
Citation Proceedings to Discover and Recover Assets
Guardianship Proceedings and Contested Guardianships
Accountings
Appeals
Joseph is licensed in Illinois, Missouri, and Florida.
Saint Louis University, J.D.
Westminster College, B.A.
State
Illinois
Missouri
Florida
Bar
Illinois State Bar Association
Adams County Bar Association
Courts
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois Federal and Bankruptcy Courts
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois Federal Court
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri Federal and Bankruptcy Courts
Professional
Member, Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness (2022-Present)
Civic
Board of Directors, Good Samaritan Home of Quincy
Board of Directors, Arts Quincy
Board of Directors, Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County (2014-2020)
Presenter, SRNM/Edward Jones EState Seminar, "Preparing Your Estate Plan" (April 2021).
Presenter, Quincy Public Schools Focus on Finances Series, "Grading Your Estate Plan - You Want an 'F' for Finished" (March 2021).
Presenter, SRNM/Edward Jones Estate Seminar, "Trusts, Estates, Beneficiaries... Oh My!'"(September 2016).
Presenter, SRNM/Edward Jones Estate Seminar, "Preparing Your Estate Plan" (October 2017).